William Mathew Lunsford Jr.'s Obituary
William "Bill" Mathew Lunsford Jr., a 77-year-old resident of Fairland, passed away on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Grand Lake Villa in Grove, Oklahoma. Bill was born on August 25, 1947, in Miami, Oklahoma, to William Mathew Sr. and Rebecca Ruth (Dowty) Lunsford.
Early in his career, Bill served as Park Superintendent for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department in the Grand Lake area. He later worked for the City of Miami, where he rose to become the Director of Parks and Recreation. In this role, he oversaw the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery, the Civic Center, Miami City Parks, and the Miami Pool, serving the community until his retirement in 2002. Following his retirement, he worked for Ottawa County District 2 as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic until 2008.
Bill’s dedication to public service reached far beyond his professional career. In 1993, he joined the Fairland Volunteer Fire Department, which held a special place in his heart. He was soon appointed Chief, a position he held with honor until his retirement in 2012. During his years with the department, he also served as a First Responder and as Director of Emergency Management for the Town of Fairland. In addition, he spent several years on the Ottawa County 911 Board and was elected to the Fairland Board of Trustees.
In 2011, Bill and his wife, Karen, began attending the First Assembly of God Church in Fairland, where they quickly found their forever church home. Bill served as a Deacon for several years and participated in a mission trip to the Chicago Dream Center in 2015. He valued his time spent contributing to his church and was deeply committed to serving God.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Rebecca Lunsford, and his son, Dustin Shane Smith.
Those who will cherish Bill’s memory include his wife, Karen, of the home; his daughter, Shandy Bowers and her husband, Nick, along with their children, Jaxon and Amelia, of Fairland; daughter-in-law Susan Smith and her children, Isabella and Levi, of Pielenhofen, Germany; son, William Lunsford III and his wife, Kosha, and their children, Gabriel, Xavier, and William IV, of Eucha; his sisters, Patricia Carver and her husband, Kenny, of Concan, Texas, Jeanne Corn and her husband, Don, of Miami, and Susie Hastings and her husband, Dennis, of Wyandotte; along with his many nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Bill will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at the First Assembly of God in Fairland.
Services for Bill will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the First Assembly of God in Fairland, with Reverend Jackie Crafton officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairland Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include past and current members of the Fairland Volunteer Fire Department. The Tulsa Fire Department Funeral Honors Team will provide funeral honors.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Comforting Hands Hospice and Grand Lake Villa for their excellent, compassionate care of Bill.
Friends and family are invited to send notes of encouragement to the family by visiting Bill's Tribute Page at www.brown-winters.com
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