Tommy Gene Elk

Funeral services for Tommy Gene Elk will be held on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 2:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel. A Wake Service will be held at his home on Sunday, January 25th, 2015 at 430 South Mission in Tahlequah, OK. Interment will take place at Caney Cemetery. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Tommy include Ronald Elk, Jake Mankiller, Shannon Wing, Absolom Brackett, William Elk and Sammy Elk. Honorary pallbearers include Jim Mankiller, Gary Dino Leach, Adam Wolfe and Robert Elk.

Tommy Gene Elk was born on March 9th, 1959 in Stilwell, OK the son of Dorothy Wolfe Elk. He grew up in Northeastern Oklahoma in the Rocky Mountain Community and attended Zion Grade School and then welding school. Whenever he wasn’t working, Tommy loved time spent with horses, and was a gifted rider. He loved a good game of softball and stickball. He traveled extensively due to his work, and always looked forward to being with his children and grandchildren. He was a proud Cherokee, fluent in the Cherokee language, and a member of the Flint Rock Ceremonial grounds, Ga-Ti-Yo. He was a man of of the traditional ways of life and very spiritual in nature. He was always happy and cheerful, and he made friends easily with his quick smile and laugh. He was very funny and could make a room full of people laugh with little effort. He was called home to his eternal rest on January 12th, 2015 in Jackson, TN. He was 55 years old. He will be greatly missed by his many family and friends.

Tommy is preceded in death by his mother and father, his father-in-law, James Russell Kelley, his brother-in-law, Jackie Kelley, his grandfather, Jim Wolfe, his grandmother, Maudie Wolfe and two nephews, Smokey Mankiller and Jack Tobie Torres.

He is survived by his daughters, Patricia Jean Elk-Tillison and husband John of Tahlequah, OK, and their children, McKayla, Hayden, and Jaycee Elk, his daughter Melissa Elk-Sanders and husband Waylon of Stilwell, OK and their children, Kane Diver, Hanah Diver, Korbyn Elk, Mayci Cummings, and Zaylon Sanders and his daughter Marlena Elk- Rubio and her husband Heriberto Rubio-Solis of Stilwell, OK, and their children, Addiston and Ayva Elk. He has seven brothers and sisters, Lula Mankiller and her husband Jim of Tahlequah, William Elk and his companion Rhonda of Stilwell, OK, Tina Elk-Leach and husband Gary of Stilwell, OK, Luggie Brackett and companion of Jackson, TN, Absolom Brackett of Stilwell, OK, Shannon Wing of Stilwell, OK, Elsie Lopez and husband Hermen of Vian, OK, and Charles Elk and wife Ada of Muldrow, Tommy’s life long friend and companion, Pamela Elk of Tahlequah, OK, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.