Marvin Nixon, 65-year-old Freedom resident, died in an automobile accident Friday, January 4, 2019, south of Freedom on State Highway 50. Graveside funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. in Haskew Cemetery on Friday, January 11, 2019. Interment will follow with the Billings Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial contributions be made to the Freedom Ambulance Service with the funeral home accepting.
Marvin Lane Nixon was born on October 19, 1953, in Woodward, Oklahoma; he was the son of Cecil Marvin and Evelyn Allene Blevins (Nixon). He grew up on the family farm south of Freedom near Alabaster Caverns. He attended Freedom schools, graduating from Freedom High School in 1972. Marvin attended Northern Oklahoma College for the next two years, and then transferred to Oklahoma Panhandle State University on a rodeo scholarship. He worked two events while at Panhandle, tie-down roping and bull riding, and at one time he was one of the top bull riders in the collegiate ranks.
He was united in marriage to Kama Li Luddington at the XIT Rodeo in Dalhart, Texas, on August 5, 1983. Marvin and Kama lived in Freedom. They were blessed with two children, Lane and AlyJea.
Throughout all his travels and experiences Marvin always returned to farming and ranching. He loved the western way of life, and was steward of the land. Marvin raised bucking bulls, he was a contractor for the PBR, often traveling down the road with top ranked bulls. He loved the wide open spaces, watching a newborn calf take its first steps, riding a young colt and teaching it the do’s and don’t’s of life. Marvin was a cowboy, and will be remembered as such for all time.
Marvin is survived by his son Lane Nixon, daughter AlyJea Gerloff and husband Chance, and granddaughter Gray Gerloff, all of Freedom; sisters Carole Beckett and husband Gordon, and MaeBeth Bird and husband Jim, all of Woodward; nieces Stephanie Moss, Beth Beckett and Andre Haney; nephews Bruce Beckett, Brian Beckett, Brent Beckett and Lynn Haney; other family and many friends.