Rev. Willard F. Stone

Funeral services for Reverend Willard Franklin Stone will be held on Saturday, October 6th, 2018 at 1:00 PM at the Reed-Culver Funeral Home with Reverend Clyde Powell from Elm Grove Assembly of God Church officiating. His visitation will be held on Friday, October 5th, 2018 beginning at noon until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. He will be laid to rest at Park Hill Cemetery in Park Hill, OK. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Willard include his grandsons, Shawn Hogner, Brian Stone, Greg Stone, Dale Guthrie, Dawson Hogner, and Zachary Stone. Honorary Pallbearers include Ronnie Milligan, Randy Guthrie, and Justin Hogner.

Reverend Willard Franklin Stone was born on Sunday, April 17th, 1927 in Lula, OK the son of Virgil and Mary (Talbert) Stone. His family was large, consisting of 8 brothers and 5 sisters, and lived in Memphis, TX when Willard graduated. With World War II in progress, Willard was enlisted into the US Army, where from October 1945 until November 1946 Willard worked at the Army Port of Embarkation as a Clerk-Typist preparing and typing records, post exchanges, medical clearances, for dependents enroute to overseas stations. He returned after his Honorable Discharge and dedicated his life to serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When he wasn’t pastoring churches he was holding revivals. During one of his many revivals, he met Erma Lou Rich, and soon they were joined in holy matrimony on August 4th, 1964 in Tahlequah, OK. Together they raised a family of three sons and one daughter, Joe, Barry, Mike, and Valarie. He pastored at many churches including Ft. Gibson Assembly, Westside Assembly of Muskogee, Elm Grove Assembly, Briggs Pentecostal and Texanna Assembly in Checotah. He was employed by Oklahoma Natural Gas for thirty years before retiring, and could do any job assigned him. He was pleasant and quiet, but you could ruffle him if you tried. He was happiest when around people, especially his many children and grandchildren. When there was a little free time, he was ready to do some fishing. He was an avid reader and read from his Bible daily. He knew everybody, and was always available for a little chat and a cup of coffee. Traveling was a favorite pastime and he and Erma traveled from California to Colorado, and Texas to Missouri. He was happy to go spend a day with his family at the park, cooking on the grill and watching the kids play, and he loved family reunions. He was a true servant of God and did all he could for as many as possible. He was a true family man, and always put his wife, children and grandchildren first in all he did. His health began to fade, and the Lord called this good and faithful servant home from his labors on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 at his son’s home in Oktaha, OK. Willard was 91 years old. He leaves a void that no one can ever fill.

He is preceded in death by his mother and father, his grandparents, James Gilbert and Rachel Stone, eight brothers, Elvin, Leonard, Clonie, Raymond, Vernon, Robert, Lawrence Stone, and two sisters, Ethel Veazey and Kathleen Stone Pierce. He also joins two nieces and three nephews, son-in-law Johnny Wilson, brothers-in-law, George Pierce, Leo Veazey, Kenneth Harper and Billy Duke.

Those left to cherish his memory include his adored wife, Erma of the home in Cookson, and four children, Joe Hogner and wife Linda of Cookson, Barry Stone and wife Cindy of Locust Grove, Mike Hogner of Oktaha, OK, and Valarie Wilson of Okay, OK. He leaves his three sisters, Mary Ellen Stone Harper of Okmulgee, Glenda Duke of Texas, and Mildred Cox and husband Ray of Haskell, OK. His memory will be cherished by his eight grandchildren, Kristi Guthrie, Carla McKinley, Barry Brian Stone, Shawn Hogner, Greg Stone, Justin Hogner, Melinda Wilson and Don Wilson, as well as eighteen great Grandchildren, sixteen great great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.