Leroy Esadooah

Leroy Esadooah went peacefully to be with his Lord on April 24, 2025. He was born August 25, 1922 in Lawton, Oklahoma to Julia and George Esadooah in a home that still stands today in south Lawton.

He attended Lawton Public Schools where he was a standout athlete in track and football. He played on a state championship football team with Lawton High and made the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World All-State teams. Leroy was offered a football scholarship at the University of Oklahoma and enrolled as a freshman. Before he could fulfill his college athletic career he entered the United States Army Air Corps and served in Sicily and Italy with the 16th Troop Carrier Squadron during WWII. Having seen the suffering of Americans at home during the Great Depression and innocent civilians during wartime Leroy was always concerned about the hardships and suffering of others.

After discharge he completed his college studies at Central State College. While at Central he met and married Betty Jo Haggard of Oklahoma City on November 24, 1948. Leroy went on to teach and coach at Boise City, Oklahoma as well as Lamont, Oklahoma and Estancia, New Mexico. Leroy completed his career as an educator at Seiling, Oklahoma where he was a teacher, coach and elementary principal. Leroy was an Assistant Coach on the 1965 Seiling High School State Championship football team and ended his coaching career as coach of the girls tennis team which he founded. Leroy loved sports, hunting and fishing spending many hours fishing on the North Canadian River and taking trips to New Mexico and Colorado with his family and was a regular member along with his wife at the Norman YMCA. He was also a charter member of the Comanche Indian Veterans Association at its founding in 2007.

Leroy was preceded in death by his wife Betty Jo Esadooah, his son, Kenneth Esadooah and daughter in-law Evanna Hunt Esadooah, his mother and father, step-father Robert Boland, brothers George Esadooah and Fred Esadooah, and a sister Florene Esadooah Topetchy.

Leroy is survived by a son Kevin Esadooah or Norman, Son-in-law Ralph Hunt, Daughter-in-law Elaina Hunt and numerous nieces of nephews.

A visitation for Leroy will be held Tuesday, April 29, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Primrose Funeral Service, 1109 North Porter Ave, Norman, OK 73071. A funeral service will occur Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Bethel Baptist Church Norman, 1717 W Lindsey St, Norman, OK 73069. He will be laid to rest on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 8900 NW Cache Rd, Lawton, OK 73505.