A celebration of the life of Roy Marshall McGehee was held Monday, January 4, 2016 at 2:00 pm at Stonewall First Baptist Church, with Reverends Kelly Benson and Richard Dickerson officiating.
Mr. McGehee, age 76, was born October 8, 1939 at home in Pontotoc, Oklahoma, and passed away Friday, January 1, 2016 at his home in Jesse, Oklahoma.
Mr. McGehee formerly worked at the Ada Sale Barn and Whittle’s, and later worked for the Oklahoma State Highway Department until his retirement.
He was a cowboy in the truest sense of the word, never happier than with a rope in one hand and a set of reins in the other. He and his son were a dandy heading and heeling team. He was also a rancher and avid horseman. A skilled farrier, he began shoeing horses at age fourteen and continued until 2012.
Mentored as a young man by rodeo greats Everett Shaw and Fat Truitt, Mr. McGehee in turn mentored many younger men himself. A skilled craftsman, many people across the country have gifts he braided from keychains to reins to belts and more. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence. He was a member of the Fittstown Church of Christ.
Survivors include his daughter, Diana McGehee Bird, of Houston, Texas; his son, Bill Lee McGehee and wife Krista, of Jesse; two grandchildren, Jessica Bird of Houston, Texas and Rylee McGehee of Jesse; three step-grandchildren, Jarrod, Jacob and Lily Sestak of Prague; two sisters, Mary Jo Whitwell, Ada, and Ola Mae Morrow and husband Jim, Norman; two brothers, Morris McGehee and wife Jeannie, Ada, and Floyd McGehee and wife Dava, Noble; one great-aunt, Vera Collier, Ada; eight nieces and nephews, Lisa Whitwell Johnston and husband Pete, Ada, Dennis Morrow and wife Donna, Noble, Susan Whitwell Malone and husband Greg, Cincinnati, Ohio, Bobby Joe Morrow, Noble, Marisa McGehee Wilson and husband Curtis, Ada, Michael McGehee and wife Shelley, Ada, Kimberly McGehee Doughty and husband Steven, Lawton, and Kyle McGehee and wife Jessica, Norman; his step-mother, Beverly Jennings, Fittstown; two step-sisters, Diane Smith and husband Chris, Tulsa, Jeannine Rutherford, Ada; and one step-brother, Randy Jennings and wife Wanda, Fittstown.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marshall and Earlene Winton McGehee and brother-in-law, Robert Whitwell.
Honorary bearers were Sam Townsend, Billy Joe James, Philip Henry, Bob Williams, Chris Snell, Mike Brady, Jody Labove, Jimmy McCarty, Ricky Jones, Jim Cox, RV Brady, and Dr. Jerry Morgan.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com.
