Obituary for Cecil Earl Wildman
Cecil Earl Wildman, 95, passed away July 15, 2023, in Stillwater, OK. A Celebration of life will be held on Monday, July 24, 2023, at 10:00 am at the Strode Funeral Home Chapel in Stillwater with Jeff Weldon officiating. Graveside services will be held the same day at 3:00 PM in Vici, OK at the Sunnyside Cemetery with Chuck Crites officiating. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Cecil Earl Wildman was born in Woodward, OK on March 26, 1928, to Charles Herbert Wildman and Pearl Marie (Puckett) Wildman. He attended Vici Schools all 12 years where he graduated and was active in sports and student activities. He was Captain of the last Football team that Vici had and played on the Class B District Basketball Championship team in 1946. He was President of his Senior Class.
After high school, Cecil attended Business College. During this time, he was offered a job with Production and Mailing Administration (PMA) in Woodward, OK. In 1946, Cecil married Mary Joe Eoff. This marriage ended later in divorce. They had one daughter JoLynn who was born in 1947 right after the famous Woodward tornado that hit on April 9, 1947. Cecil and his family were in the cellar during the Tornado that wiped out 100 city blocks and killed an estimated 107 people. Cecil and many others were instrumental in helping to rebuild the city and area after the devastation.
Cecil was drafted into the Army in January 1951. He completed Infantry basic training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. After Basic Training, he was selected to serve in a hand-picked demolition platoon. He then trained in North Carolina and was promoted to Staff Sergeant. He was assigned to the 110 Infantry Regiment 28th Division which was sent to New Ulm, Germany. He also attended Combat Team Leadership School with the 2nd Armored Division. He was promoted to Sergeant First Class and received an honorable discharge from the Army in January 1953. The men that Cecil served with in Germany became lifelong friends. He looked forward to their reunions which took place every two years from the time that they were discharged.
Cecil returned to Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University on the GI Bill where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1959. He accepted a position with the Soil Conservation Service as a planning engineer in Oklahoma City and oversaw 6 survey crews.
In 1957, Cecil met Alta Faye Folks and they were married on July 2, 1960. Joining Alta's daughter Joy Lynn, their daughter Wendy was born in 1961. During their marriage, Cecil and Alta enjoyed traveling and spending time with friends and their family. They were active in Stillwater Community Events.
The couple moved to Stillwater, OK in 1964 when Cecil became the State Engineer for the Farmer's Home Administration. He remained in this position for 20 years. During his 20 years with the FHA, Cecil received many awards including being elected to the original OK Rural Water Hall of Fame and Rural Water Man of the Year. He served 25 years as an advisor to the OK Rural Water Board of Directors. After retiring from the FHA, Cecil went to work as a Civil Engineer for SMC Consulting Engineers in Oklahoma City where he worked for 25 years. He was proud to have been appointed by Stillwater Mayor Bill Thomas to serve on the City Council as a consultant advising on the Kaw Pipeline Project.
Cecil was a friend to many of all ages. He made friends wherever he went and showed through his actions the gift of true friendship. Cecil especially enjoyed Striper fishing at Lake Texoma and bird hunting. He never missed the first day of quail season hunting with his dad except when he was in the military. Cecil wrote and published in 1985 the Western Novel Nase's Raiders and enjoyed book signings and giving the books to his many friends and family. He enjoyed having coffee multiple times a week with a variety of coffee groups. He loved to attend horse races at Remington Park where he often met previous co-workers. However, OSU sports was his favorite topic of conversation. He had season tickets to all OSU sports for many years and rarely missed a home event.
Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, brother Darwin Wildman and sister Evelyn Juanita Millikan. He is survived by his daughter Wendy Wildman and her spouse Kent Mead of Stillwater. Daughter JoLynn O'Shea-Walker and her spouse Mark Walker of Denton, TX. Stepdaughter Joy Jackson Hahn and her spouse Mike Hahn of Oklahoma City. Also, grandchildren Riley Hahn of Oklahoma City, Chelsea Rempel and her spouse Grant Rempel of Stillwater and Susan Simpson and her spouse Sean Simpson of Broken Arrow, OK. Great Grandchildren include Adison Simpson, Brooks Rempel and Gracie Rempel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations in his memory be made to the Vici Alumni Scholarship Fund. Donations can be sent to the Bank of Vici, P.O. Box 727, Vici, OK 73859. A special Thank You to the staff and nurses at Golden Oaks Village for their loving care always but especially in his final days. He considered the staff, nurses and residents there all as his personal friends.
Cecil Earl Wildman was born in Woodward, OK on March 26, 1928, to Charles Herbert Wildman and Pearl Marie (Puckett) Wildman. He attended Vici Schools all 12 years where he graduated and was active in sports and student activities. He was Captain of the last Football team that Vici had and played on the Class B District Basketball Championship team in 1946. He was President of his Senior Class.
After high school, Cecil attended Business College. During this time, he was offered a job with Production and Mailing Administration (PMA) in Woodward, OK. In 1946, Cecil married Mary Joe Eoff. This marriage ended later in divorce. They had one daughter JoLynn who was born in 1947 right after the famous Woodward tornado that hit on April 9, 1947. Cecil and his family were in the cellar during the Tornado that wiped out 100 city blocks and killed an estimated 107 people. Cecil and many others were instrumental in helping to rebuild the city and area after the devastation.
Cecil was drafted into the Army in January 1951. He completed Infantry basic training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. After Basic Training, he was selected to serve in a hand-picked demolition platoon. He then trained in North Carolina and was promoted to Staff Sergeant. He was assigned to the 110 Infantry Regiment 28th Division which was sent to New Ulm, Germany. He also attended Combat Team Leadership School with the 2nd Armored Division. He was promoted to Sergeant First Class and received an honorable discharge from the Army in January 1953. The men that Cecil served with in Germany became lifelong friends. He looked forward to their reunions which took place every two years from the time that they were discharged.
Cecil returned to Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University on the GI Bill where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1959. He accepted a position with the Soil Conservation Service as a planning engineer in Oklahoma City and oversaw 6 survey crews.
In 1957, Cecil met Alta Faye Folks and they were married on July 2, 1960. Joining Alta's daughter Joy Lynn, their daughter Wendy was born in 1961. During their marriage, Cecil and Alta enjoyed traveling and spending time with friends and their family. They were active in Stillwater Community Events.
The couple moved to Stillwater, OK in 1964 when Cecil became the State Engineer for the Farmer's Home Administration. He remained in this position for 20 years. During his 20 years with the FHA, Cecil received many awards including being elected to the original OK Rural Water Hall of Fame and Rural Water Man of the Year. He served 25 years as an advisor to the OK Rural Water Board of Directors. After retiring from the FHA, Cecil went to work as a Civil Engineer for SMC Consulting Engineers in Oklahoma City where he worked for 25 years. He was proud to have been appointed by Stillwater Mayor Bill Thomas to serve on the City Council as a consultant advising on the Kaw Pipeline Project.
Cecil was a friend to many of all ages. He made friends wherever he went and showed through his actions the gift of true friendship. Cecil especially enjoyed Striper fishing at Lake Texoma and bird hunting. He never missed the first day of quail season hunting with his dad except when he was in the military. Cecil wrote and published in 1985 the Western Novel Nase's Raiders and enjoyed book signings and giving the books to his many friends and family. He enjoyed having coffee multiple times a week with a variety of coffee groups. He loved to attend horse races at Remington Park where he often met previous co-workers. However, OSU sports was his favorite topic of conversation. He had season tickets to all OSU sports for many years and rarely missed a home event.
Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, brother Darwin Wildman and sister Evelyn Juanita Millikan. He is survived by his daughter Wendy Wildman and her spouse Kent Mead of Stillwater. Daughter JoLynn O'Shea-Walker and her spouse Mark Walker of Denton, TX. Stepdaughter Joy Jackson Hahn and her spouse Mike Hahn of Oklahoma City. Also, grandchildren Riley Hahn of Oklahoma City, Chelsea Rempel and her spouse Grant Rempel of Stillwater and Susan Simpson and her spouse Sean Simpson of Broken Arrow, OK. Great Grandchildren include Adison Simpson, Brooks Rempel and Gracie Rempel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations in his memory be made to the Vici Alumni Scholarship Fund. Donations can be sent to the Bank of Vici, P.O. Box 727, Vici, OK 73859. A special Thank You to the staff and nurses at Golden Oaks Village for their loving care always but especially in his final days. He considered the staff, nurses and residents there all as his personal friends.