Mooreland Cemetery

Mooreland, Woodward County, Oklahoma

© Billings Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Lester Dean Haskins

September 3, 1932 ~ October 7, 2024

Lester Haskins, 92 year old Mooreland resident died Monday, October 7, 2024. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Friday, October 11, 2024 in the CrossPointe Church in Mooreland. Interment will follow in the Mooreland Cemetery with the Billings Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Lester Dean Haskins was born September 3, 1932 in a small farm house north of Mooreland, Lester was born to Admiral Vorice and Ruby Merle. He was born a worker. Quitting school his sophomore year to help his beloved parents make a living, he went to work at a nearby farm as a hired hand.

In 1953 he met the love of his life in front of the Woodward Movie Theatre. After dating Glenda Mae Kirkwood a year, the romantic young man as he was, he reached into his pocket, on the way to the movies with a car load of friends, handed Glenda a small box and said, "here". From that sentimental moment on, they began to make plans together, that would last nearly 70 years. And two became one on November 7, 1954 in the First Christian Church in Mutual, Oklahoma.

At that time, Lester worked as a construction worker building grain elevators. Shortly after he began to study to get his GED. Tiring of pulling up roots every few months, moving from Osborne, Kansas to Dallas to Houston, Texas, Lester enrolled in an Auto, Diesel and Mechanic College taking them to Nashville, Tennessee. After studying hard and working even harder, Lester graduated with honors. Moving to Enid, Oklahoma shortly after graduation, Lester got his first auto mechanic job. Living in Enid a short while, Glenda and Lester moved back to Mooreland; Lester continuing to advance his career as an auto mechanic. At this time Lester and Glenda started a family of 3 girls: Rita, Nita and Lisa.

In 1969 he went into business with his brother, Dale opening "Haskins Auto Clinic." In doing so, he became the 'Car Doctor' of Woodward County. His reputation began to spread across the Oklahoma borders, clients booking in advance and driving for hours to have him work on their cars. He raised his girls to work hard: toiling in the soil, growing fresh vegetables, feeding cattle, building fences. They all took their turn over the years, being his assistant at Haskins Auto clinic where they learned to change oil and spark plugs, tidy up the parts room and wait on customers.

Lester wasn't a sitter. When he wasn't rescuing broken down cars, he loved a good camping/boating trip to a nearby lake. Cooking on a Coleman stove: eating fried chicken, potato salad and brownies, was all the glamour he needed. For sport, he loved waterskiing. Two skis were enjoyable, skimming across the waves on one was incredibly exciting...but that moment he decided to trick ski, flipping in the air and skiing backwards was a rush. He was living out loud. He was never standing still: looking for opportunities to have fun and proper his soul, he and his brother Dale invested in property in Taos Canyon, New Mexico. With a lot of help from their family and friends, they began to clear the property and resurrect a cabin; not just a tiny home cabin but a cabin that would sleep a small army.

Snow skiing came next. Zipping down the ski slopes with as much ease as he did on the water. And he laughed out loud often. On to the next adventure: getting his pilots license was an over the top experience. Hopping in their plane, cranking up the propeller, and flying into the wild blue wonder felt like freedom to him.

All of this and more: more gardening, building a green house, share cropping hay for others, feeding cattle, feeding half of Woodward county the vegetables he grew. And family. He loved his family. He was content. He never stopped living. Up until the last 3 days of life, he worked towards the next crop of greenhouse tomatoes. He has not retired from planting, toiling in the soil, working with his hands...he has just changed locations.

He is preceded in death by his parents Vorice and Merle Haskins, a sister Eda Faye Yauck, brother Arnold Haskins, sister Merita Parsons, great grand daughter Eden Esther Spaeth and grand daughter Tiffany Murley.

He is survived by his beautiful bride, Glenda Mae Haskins, daughter Rita Barney and husband Neil, Nita Harper and partner Brian Massey, Lisa Murley and husband Bobby. Brother Dale Haskins and partner Lisa Semmel, sister in law Vera Haskins and brother in law Dan Parsons.

Grandchildren, TeNeil Spaeth and husband Justin, Tatum Marlatt and husband Bryce, Trafton Barney, Cassity Compston and husband Russell, Kandra Ramsey, Cameron Murley and fiancé Jessica Downing, Carlie Murley. Great grands, Kade Marlatt and spouse Caitlin, Kole Marlatt, Eve Spaeth, Kloey Marlatt, Jude Spaeth, Gavin Rodriguez, Rylan Compston, Ava Kate Marlatt, Jasper Spaeth, Adalyn Compston, Landry Rodriguez, Paisley Murley, Weston Murley. One great great, Major Marlatt.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made out to the Mooreland FFA with the funeral home accepting the donations.

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