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Bower Cemetery

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

Bishop Funeral Home
Submitted by: Carol Rice

Elmer Lee Simco, 88, of Canadian, passed away Monday, May 4, 2026, at his home surrounded by his loving family. The family will greet friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Bishop Funeral Service and Crematory. A graveside service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 8, 2026, at Bower Cemetery in Longtown, officiated by Samuel Lee Simco and Kelby Wendt. Burial will follow. Pallbearers will be his grandsons and nephews. Honorary pallbearer will be James Shropshire. Elmer Lee was born to Millard Wilson "Mid" Simco and Minnie Merrill Mayfield Simco on December 22, 1937, in Stuart. He attended Rock Creek and Gerty schools and graduated from Stuart High School with the Class of 1955. Following graduation, he joined the United States Army Reserves and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. During the 1960s, Elmer Lee worked for General Dynamics and Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas. He later began a career with the United States Postal Service, delivering mail in Indianola and Canadian from 1974 until his retirement in 1999 after 25 years of service. Elmer Lee married Lela Lou Dowling in 1970 in Arpelar. They shared 56 years of marriage. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, they enjoyed traveling across the United States, visiting landmarks, and camping at area lakes, especially Lake Eufaula. Elmer was always on the lookout for a new camper each season and enjoyed upgrading to bigger and better boats. He cherished camping trips with family and friends from Arpelar and never passed up an opportunity to go fishing. More than anything, Elmer Lee loved his family and never missed a family gathering. He was proud of his hometown of Stuart and treasured the friendships he shared with his baseball buddies, domino partners, and fellow graduates of the Class of 1955. Elmer Lee was a 32nd Degree Master Mason and received his 50-year pin from Canadian Lodge #22 on September 13, 2020. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Pairlee Mayfield; his father, Mid Simco; his mother, Minnie Merrill Fry; his stepfather, Loyd Robertson Fry; brothers, Marshall Fry and Roger Dale Fry; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dennis and Carrie Dowling; brothers-in-law, Donald Kuykendall, Ralph Dowling, and Tommy Dowling; sisters-in-law, Wanetta Fry, Sandra Kay Dowling, and Vivian Dowling; and his uncle, Herbert “Red” Mayfield. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lela Simco of the home; his son, Jason Lee Simco and wife Vickie of Enterprise; his beloved sister, Bobby Jean Simco-Kuykendall of Arpelar; grandchildren, Travis Simco and wife Taylor of Wister, Sally Wendt and husband Kelby of Branson, Missouri, Samuel Lee Simco and wife Paige of Piedmont, Toby Simco of Enterprise; great-grandchildren, Wyatt Simco, Rawley Simco, Phoenix Wendt, Emma Lee Simco, Ada Wendt, and Baker Lee Simco; nieces and nephews, Shannon and Heather Fry, Michael Fry, Brian Fry, and Brandi Fry, all of McAlester, David Fry of Rusk, Texas, Sherry Kuykendall McPhetridge and Rick of Arpelar, Jeff and Lisa Kuykendall all of Damascus, Arkansas, and Galen and Tammy Kuykendall of Krebs; cousins, Phyllis Patterson, Frances Morrissey, Peggy Peel, and Teresa Lawson; sisters-in-law, Darlene Dowling of Tahlequah, Pat Fry of McAlester; brothers-in-law, Billy Dowling of Tahlequah. Gary Dowling of Porum along with numerous other family members and friends.

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