David E. Wilmoth

David Elwood “Pawpaw” Wilmoth, 70, of Fairland, Oklahoma, passed away on Tuesday, January 19, at Cox South Health Center in Springfield, Missouri, after suffering a brain aneurysm on January 5. David was born in Nowata, Oklahoma on August 9, 1945, to Robert L. and Ollie M. Wilmoth. He spent his childhood in Commerce, Oklahoma and graduated from Commerce High School in 1963. After attending Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) for a year, he married Janice K. Bland of Fairland, on July 2, 1965, and then enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1968 spending almost a year there. After his tour ended, he returned to the states and worked for Defense Intelligence at Arlington Hall Station in Arlington, Virginia, finishing out his enlistment there. He then came home and went to work for B.F. Goodrich, working there for 17 years until the plant was closed in 1986. David eventually went back to school receiving his associate degree from NEO, and his BS in education and his MS in education administration from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree, he began teaching at Vinita ISD but then moved to Jay ISD beginning a 16-year career there where he built, from the ground up, the Technology Education program. For much of that time, he was the chapter advisor for the Technology Student Association (TSA) and traveled with his students for competitions all over the country. After his retirement in 2009, David began building cabinets for friends and family all over the area and enjoyed traveling with Janice including two trips to Alaska and a 50th anniversary cruise to the Caribbean this past summer with kids and grandkids. David was a beloved teacher, mentor, and friend to so many. He was a great man of God who will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Cheryl Hemphill and his grandson Colby Wilmoth. He is survived by his wife Janice of 50 years; his son Gregory Wilmoth and wife Nikki of China Spring, Texas; his son Russell Wilmoth and wife Kristi of Fairland; and his son Randall Wilmoth, also of Fairland; and his brother Jerry Wilmoth and wife Judy of Webb City, Missouri. He has eight grandchildren: Dalton Wilmoth, Eric Wilmoth and wife Mikah, Layne Wilmoth, Jaxson Oakley, Sadie Hopkins, Kodie Wilmoth, Jasper Oakley and Katelyn Wilmoth. He has one great-granddaughter Avery Wilmoth and a whole host of nieces and nephews. Visitation for David will be from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, Friday, January 22, at Long Assembly of God. Services will be 11:00 AM., Saturday, January 23, at Long Assembly of God in Fairland with Reverend Mike Younger officiating. Interment will follow at the Bland Cemetery in Wyandotte under the care of Brown-Winters Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Miami. Friends and family may send the family notes of encouragement by viewing Mr. Wilmoth’s Tribute Page at www.brown-winters.com.

David E. Wilmoth

August 9, 1945 - January 19, 2016