Robert Payne Page

© The Purcell Register

July 21, 2005

Submitted by: Mary Anneler

Funeral services for Robert Payne Page, 85, of Lexington were held July 16, 2005 at Wilson-Little Funeral Home Chapel with chaplain "C.P.T." Randy Ridenhour officiating. Interment was at Lexington Cemetery under the direction of Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.

Mr. Page died July 14, 2005 at Lexington Nursing Home.

He was born Sept. 4, 1919 in Poteau, the second of seven children of Edward E. Page and Lela Wyndom Page. He was reared in Poteau and in Bentonville, Ark.

Mr. Page graduated from Poteau High School in 1940 and later enlisted in the U.S. Army Oct. 15, 1940. After nearly a year in the regular Army, he transferred to the Army Air Corp. He served his country as a radio operator, flying over Germany in a B-24 during World War II. After the war, he returned home to Poteau.

He married Billie Jean Pitchford Aug. 17, 1945 in Fort Smith, Ark.

Mr. Page re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to begin a career that totaled 22 years. For several years he flew as a radio operator on a B-36 while stationed at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, Texas.

Throughout his years in the military, his family moved all over the United States, Japan and Taiwan. He was honorably discharged July 1, 1964 and later that year the family moved to Lexington.

While living in Lexington, he began working for civil service at Tinker Air Force Base, retiring in 1982

He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Jean Turnipseed; and one brother, Jacob Page.

Survivors include his wife, Billie, of the home in Lexington; two sons, Jacob Page and his wife, Belinda, of Dallas, Texas, and Allen Page and his wife, Janet, of San Antonio, Texas; two brothers, Bill Page and his wife, Delores, and Don Page, all of Oklahoma City; two sisters, Charlotte Dedmom of Oklahoma City and Betty Wray of Odessa, Texas, and four grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Zachary, Robert and Bill Page, David Turnipseed, Scott Dedmon and Bill Tucker.

Honorary pallbearers were Gary and Chris Thompson and Lewis Williams.

Memorials may be made in memory of Robert Page to the Purcell Golf Course Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 71, Purcell, OK 73080.