James Henry Fredrick Jr.

Funeral services for James Henry Fredrick Jr. will be held on Thursday, April 26th, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Reed-Culver Chapel with his family, Clark Shaver and Lily Owens officiating. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 beginning at noon until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel. He will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife, Lily May at Parris Cemetery in Gideon, OK. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for James include Jimmy Bomar, Jason Thompson, Craig Shaver, Blaine Cox, Jay Lane, and Joe Cox. His honorary pallbearers include Clark Shaver, James Thompson, Luke Owens, Jim Bomar, Ronnie Shaver, Jorge De Santiago, Nathan Thompson, Tyler Thompson, Spencer Lane and Mason Lane.

James Henry Fredrick Jr was born on January 20th, 1922, in Stilwell, OK, the son of James Henry and Mattie Rae (Ridenhour) Fredrick Sr. He grew up in a household with one brother, Waymon and three sisters, Beulah Haddock, Lillian Klinger-Drake, and Pauline Duncan. Times were hard during the great depression and Fred left school after fifth grade to help sustain his family. After working long, hard days, he was to soon join the American fighting forces for the fight for freedom, World War II. He was inducted on November 14th, 1942, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He served faithfully in the US Army Air Corp until his honorable discharge on March 13th, 1946. James had met and married a beautiful dark haired girl, Lily May Parris, on May 3rd, 1941, in Tahlequah, OK. She was the drive that kept Fred going during those long and terrible days ahead. He lived for the time they could be reunited and raise their family in peace. Following the war, their home was in Bakersfield, CA, and it was here that their first daughter, Carolyn Ann was born. Three years later, they returned to Oklahoma, and the family was blessed with two more daughters, Loretta Sue, and Patricia Kaye. He worked as a cement mason, and belonged to Cement Finishers Local Union Number 600, holding membership for 75 years. He worked long, hard hours, so when he wasn’t working, he could be found with his lovely girls at home. He had the ability to build anything he set his mind to. He had built his family a home in Bakersfield, CA when they resided there following the war, and then again built the family home in Locust Grove following James retirement. He could make many types of furniture from tables to trunk, all professionally finished. He was happy being out doors, hunting deer or spending a quiet afternoon fishing. He grew large and bountiful gardens, teaming with vegetables and the best watermelon you ever ate, sweet and juicy.

James was blessed with a great sense of humor, loved to tell jokes and was always ready with a prank to pull. He was popular with his friends as they knew he had time to hear them when they needed advice, and he gave very good advice. He was the friend and neighbor everyone would like to have, ready, willing and able. Quiet time was spent pouring over volumns of American history, archaeology, and political study. There were no better people to spend his time with then his wife, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren, he adored them. They were his pride and joy. Any chance to gather the family all together for a holiday or a special occasion was very special for James. Lily passed in June of 2015, and James resided at the Broken Arrow Nursing Home, where he served as the residents representative. He was everyone’s friend, and he loved an afternoon of Bingo or Pequino. He grew tired and longed for those that had gone ahead, but he always had that famous smile for all to see. The Lord called this good and faithful servant home from his labors on April 21st, 2018 at Broken Arrow Nursing Home. James was 96 years old. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

He is preceded in death by his mother, father, his wife, all of his sisters and his brother, and two grandchildren, Fredrick Shaver and Sarah Shaver.

Those left to cherish his memory include his daughters, Carolyn Ann Shaver and husband Ronnie of Mayes County, OK, Loretta Sue De Santiago and husband Jorge of Creek County, OK and Patricia Kaye Bomar and husband Jim of Coweta, OK. He lives on in his eight grandchildren that affectionately named him Grandpa, Poppy and Lolly, Michelle Cox and husband Joe of Inola, OK, James Thompson of Tulsa, OK, Rhonda Lane and husband Jay of Kearney, MO, Jason Thompson and wife Susan of Sperry, OK, Clark Shaver and wife Jaimie of Lamar, MO, Jimmy Bomar and wife Amy of Broken Arrow, OK, Craig Shaver and wife Emily of Chouteau, OK, and Lily Owens and husband Luke of Tulsa, OK. He leaves two sisters-in-law, Lucy Halpain and Janice Parris. There are twenty seven great grandchildren, including Blaine Cox, that spent countless hours at the side of his beloved Poppy, two great great grandchildren and one soon to join the family in October, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.