Kenneth Ray McFall

Kenneth Ray McFall passed away June 4, 2015, in Edmond, Oklahoma at the age of 91. Kenneth was born April 9, 1924, in Hollis, OK, to Robert and Zana McFall. His father died when Ken was young and he, his older sister (Ann), and younger brother (Keith) were raised by Zana. He would often comment about playing football in the yard with Darrell Royal, who lived across the street in Hollis. Ken attended Hollis schools and was very active in band and vocal groups all through school.

While at Oklahoma A & M, he joined the Army Specialized Training Program in 1942. He was called to active duty in 1943 and went to Europe with the 102nd Infantry Division, in the Light Machine Gun Squad of Company L, 405th Regiment. He fought in the Siegfried Line and the final push to Berlin. After the fighting, Kenneth was a member of the 102nd Division Chorus and traveled Germany and France entertaining the troops. In 1946, he returned home and began a courtship with a Hollis girl, Margaret Ables. They married in Hollis on December 25, 1946. After a honeymoon in OKC at the Huckins Hotel, they moved to Stillwater, and both finished their degrees at Oklahoma A & M.

Kenneth used his Journalism degree and worked on newspapers in Watonga, Altus and Winnsboro, TX before taking a job with Oklahoma Farm Bureau in Oklahoma City as Information Director. In 1959 Kenneth took over the top spot in the Oklahoma Farm Bureau as Executive Secretary, a position he held until his retirement in 1990. He loved his work, traveling the State to meet with County Farm Bureau members in every county. He had many local and national friends from his days in the Farm Bureau. As the leader of the Farm Bureau, he met constantly with state and federal political leaders to advance legislation favorable to farmers and ranchers.

As a father, he was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader for all three of his boys and participated in countless scout meetings, camping trips, soapbox derby projects and anyway he was needed. He also took the boys to Stillwater to watch Oklahoma A & M sports as well as fishing trips, stock car races and ice skating on frozen ponds at Will Rogers Park.

In retirement he focused on home projects, woodcarving, golf, playing with his grandkids, volunteering for the neighborhood association and planning vacations with Margaret. Together they took many trips including; Hawaii, Boston, New York City, Ontario and Europe. They re-traced his war route through France and Germany and visited the same towns and battlegrounds he last saw as a soldier.

Kenneth also authored two books; The Peeled Zero, The Funnier Side of Farm Bureau (1992), a humorous look at his 31years at the Farm Bureau. Later he wrote Foxhole Friends, in which he chronicled his entry to the Army and his time in Europe, mostly at the encouragement of his oldest son Tom.

Kenneth had been a member of the Mayfair Church of Christ since 1970. His father Robert, mother Zana, sister Ann and brother Keith preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife Margaret of 69 years, sons, Tommy and partner Cindy, Tim and wife Linda and Joe and wife Tracy. He dearly loved and doted on his grandchildren: Shannon Bass and husband Adam Bass, Nathan McFall and fiancé Caren Jones, Angie Percival and husband Steve, Amy Prince and husband Seth, Wes McFall and wife Darby, Maeve McFall, Kellie Hefner and husband Robert & Erin McFall. He also loved his great-grandchildren: Maddox, Graham, Lily, Sophie, Jasper, Carter, Haddie, Beckham, Pierson, Easton, and soon to be Meira.

Visitation will be at Baggerley Funeral Home in Edmond on Thursday, June 11th from 1pm to 8pm and Friday, June 12th from 9am to 8pm with family receiving friends from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Funeral services will be at Mayfair Church of Christ at 10am on June 13, 2015.