David "Squirrel" Ledbetter

David Ledbetter, known to most as Squirrel, was born on November 7th, 1962 in Claremore, OK. The son of Gerald Ledbetter and Geneva (Welch) Dirteater. He grew up with two brothers, Rodney and Ronnie, and four sisters, Donna, Eva, Connie, and Deborah. He attended Lost City Elementary School and Hulbert High School. On March 21st, 1990, he married his sweetheart and his best friend, Susan Elaine Farmer in Miami, OK. Together they raised two daughters, Jamie & Lori and two grandsons, Zachary &Gabe. He worked various jobs before deciding on a career as a brick mason. He traveled extensively for his work. He most recently was working for SVI Corporation. His oldest grandson Zachary, traveled with him on a couple of jobs and got to experience the type of work his Papa has done all these years. Squirrel was very proud to introduce Zachary to his friends at work. Zachary was impressed with the way his papa got along with his co-workers and also how they seemed to treat him with so much respect. Zachary hopes to follow in his papa’s footsteps one day. As soon as the job was over he was ready to return home to relax and spend time with his grandkids &family. He was also ready for a home cooked meal that had to consist of fried taters. He liked spending time BS-ing with his friends and his grandsons in his shop. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. He also had a knack for collecting crazy objects of all kinds wherever he went. He recently began making unique knives of his own. He loved to collect & trade knives, guns, arrowheads and bows & arrows, when he wasn’t working on vehicles. He was proud of his Cherokee and Seminole heritage. His nieces & nephews were often the victims of his teasing & jokes. He has many nieces & nephews and loved them all dearly. He always did his best to help them with anything he could. His grandkids were his pride & joy. He could often be heard at the Hulbert Riders’ basketball games offering a little “friendly advice” to the refs & the opposing team’s fans; as you all know if you’ve ever attended one of Gabe’s basketball games. He adored his granddaughters, Malori & Emiley, and often mentioned how smart, beautiful & outspoken they both are...just like their Mom!

Squirrel was a Baptist by faith and a member of Keener Baptist Church in Lost City, OK. While he was out of state working in South Carolina, the Lord called this hardworking husband, father, Papa, uncle, friend and neighbor unexpectedly home from his many labors. He was 58 years old and will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, his Mother and Father, one brother and one sister.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife Susan & grandsons Zachary & Gabe of the home in Hulbert. His daughters, Jamie Melton of Tahlequah, Lori Nez & husband Wesley of Ft. Gibson, OK. His sisters and brother include Donna Nichols and husband David of Tulsa, Eva Hildreth and husband Keith of North Carolina, Connie Carey of Tulsa and Rodney Carey of Hulbert. He will live on in his four grandchildren, Zachary & Gabriel Lewis of the home in Hulbert and Malori & Emiley Nez of Ft Gibson, OK. He also leaves his Mother-in-law, Brothers & Sisters in-law, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends & co-workers, past and present too numerous to mention.

Funeral services for David “Squirrel” Ledbetter will be held on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 2pm at Reed-Culver Chapel with Pastor Sam Keener officiating. Pallbearers for Squirrel include Logan Hubbard, Jacob Bruce, Trenton Justice, Randy Carey, Michael “Gordo” Gourd and Collin Gailey. His honorary pallbearers include Zachary Lewis, Gabe Lewis, Chris Lewis, Malori Nez, Emiley Nez, Wesley Nez, Rodney Carey, Roger Farmer, Jeff Thomas, Lonnie McClure, and all of his nephews. He will be laid to rest at New Hope Cemetery with other family members. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.