Cooey McDonald

Funeral services for Cooey McDonald will be held on Friday, March 15th, 2019 at 1:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel with Reverend Walter Brown and Reverend Joe Wilson officiating. His visitation will be Thursday, March 14th, 2019 beginning at 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel. He will be laid to rest next to his wife, Thelma McDonald at Ross Cemetery in Tahlequah, OK. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Cooey include Dominique McDonald, Fred Hall, Larry Chastain, Jerome McNack, Emanuel Holmes and Michael Chism. Flower girls for Cooey include Yolanda Sam, Cali Hall, Jaydin Hall, and Aysha Smith.

Cooey McDonald was born on Saturday, January 8th, 1938, the son of Mitchell Harlin and Henryetta Wofford, in Hulbert, OK. He grew up with seven brothers and five sisters, Pat, Jack, Joe, Theopolis, Jesse, Robert, Zenayfer, Winnie, Jean, Barbara, Wilma, and Rebecca. Cooey attended and graduated from Fort Gibson High School, and then began his working career as a machine Operator, working for over 35 years at Presto Lite. He loved his job and always enjoyed being around his co-workers. Cooey was everyone’s friend and loved to tell stories and share a good joke with all of his friends. He was well loved because of his personality. It was hard to make him angry Cooey was extremely good natured, and as a general rule, possessed the warmed of smiles. He married Thelma Marie Brewer-McDonald, and together they raised a family of three sons and two daughters, Cleveland, Floyd, Glendale, Rosie “Bunny” and Tammy. The family often spent their family time playing softball; Cooey served as coach, and was also the coach of the best basketball team around, the “Soul Rangers”. He was always ready to go do a little hunting. , or relax and watch a little TV, boxing was a favorite. Every July 4th found Cooey entertaining the family out at the lake, for a cookout and the fireworks, and cold evenings were enjoyed taking the family out to the movies. Cooey worked hard to make sure his family was well fed and warm. He married after the marriage between Thelma and he dissolved. He enjoyed keeping company with his second wife, Belinda, and together they shared a lot of happy memories. The family grew to include Kyle, Alex, Autumn, as well as his children, Thomas, Tasha, Mollie, Shawdawn, and Sarah, or “Clyde” to her family. Cooey loved any chance he had to spend with his children and grandchildren; they were his pride and joy. Towards the end of his life, Denise and Diedra took care of him while he was not feeling well, they will forever be treasured. A Christian by faith; the Lord called this hard working son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend home from his many labors on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019 in Wagoner, OK, after a long illness. He was 81 years old. He leaves a void that can never be filled, and he will be missed.

He is preceded in death by his father, mother, first wife, Thelma McDonald, one daughter, Sarah “Clyde’ Simpson, six brothers, Jack Harlin, Joe Brewster, Theopolis Harlin, Jesse Harlin, Robert Armstrong, Zenayfer Garnet and two sisters, Wilma Jean McLemore and Rebecca Garnett.

Those left to cherish his memory include his sons and daughters, Cleveland McDonald and wife Nisa of Broken Arrow, OK, Floyd McDonald and wife Rebecca of Wagoner, OK, Kyle McDonald and wife Brianna of Wagoner, OK, Alex McDonald and wife Lorraine of Wagoner, OK, Glendale Chism of Wagoner, OK, Thomas Smith and wife Jennifer of New Mexico, Rosie Jones of Tahlequah, Tammy McDonald of Tahlequah, Tasha Cook and husband Mark of Tahlequah, Mollie Scyffore and husband Rico of Tulsa, OK, Autumn McDonald of Wagoner, OK, and Shawdawn Harlin of Muskogee, OK. He leaves one brother, Pat Harlin and wife Joyce of Wagoner, OK, and three sisters, Winnie Armstrong of Hulbert, OK, Jean Jackson of Wagoner, OK, and Barbara Harlin of Kansas City, MO. He lives on in his many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.