Thursday, May 28th, 1936 - Wednesday, November 8th, 2023
Funeral services for Wilbur Dean Johnson, age 87, of Enid, will be 10:00 am, Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at the North Garland Road Church of Christ, with Bill David Walker and Gordon Jantz officiating. Burial in Waynoka Municipal Cemetery will follow at 2:00 pm, under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home and Crematory.
Wilbur Dean Johnson, son of the late Wilbur Bailey Johnson and Margaret Mary (Crusinbery) Johnson was born May 28, 1936 at the small family house in Waynoka, Oklahoma. He went to be with his heavenly Father on November 8, 2023, at his home in Enid, Oklahoma, at the age of 87 years, 5 months, and 11 days.
He was a preemie baby and struggled to live for a few months. His mother always told that a tea cup would fit over his head and she carried him in a shoe box. Dean moved with the family several times when he was a small child. He spent many hours sleeping in the cab of an old truck while his parents were on the road trucking. The opportunity arose for the family to move to a ranch southwest of Waynoka in the summer of 1943. This was always the place he called home, even after moving to Enid several years ago. He enjoyed time spent with family at the ranch. He attended the West Creek School (the little red school) on the Belva Road for one year, before starting school in Waynoka. He was a member of the Waynoka FFA and enjoyed showing cattle for awhile and especially enjoyed the ag mechanic classes.
On June 1, 1956 he was united in marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Rosa Lee Cleckner. They made their home in the Waynoka area while Dean worked at several different jobs. He worked for his Uncle F. L. Hutchison on the ranch, he worked a short while on the railroad section crew and even worked on the construction of the Waynoka Co Op Elevator, but that job did not last long, as he could not take the height. In 1958 he bought his first combine. He and his brother, Gene, custom cut wheat for several years together, making friends along the way from Texas to North Dakota. His brother, Gene bought a Caterpillar in 1959 and together they built many ponds and terraces on the ranch for their parents. He worked with Delfred Inman for several years as a dozer operator and hauling cattle. He eventually bought his own semi-truck with a cattle pot and started hauling cattle after moving the family to Alva in 1966. He was tiring of being gone from home so much that he got out of the trucking business and bought a Caterpillar and started building ponds and terraces for local farmers and ranchers in 1974. He had a keen eye for the land and was a perfectionist when it came to doing dirt work. In 1984, he and Rosa Lee moved back to Waynoka where they resumed farming and ranching along with his dozer work.
He had many interests throughout his life. He loved to weld and make things in his shop; he enjoyed tinkering on old cars. He helped with building the early dune buggies that traveled over the Sand Dunes at Waynoka. He loved taking people for rides and trying to give them a good thrill. He enjoyed his time helping with the Waynoka Ranch Rodeo and was especially proud of the longhorn cattle drive that he organized. He loved old western swing music and was quite fond of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys. He hardly ever missed the big Bob Wills Day in Turkey, TX each spring. He purchased a lot and fixed it up for he and Rosa Lee and their many friends that liked to come to Turkey. He always had a place to park another camper. Many good times were had at these events by many friends and relatives. He taught himself how to play the guitar with the help of a friend. He was always ready to play the guitar and sing anytime a group got together. He and Rosa Lee took many trips in their RV, always making new friends. He had a fantastic memory and could recall many stories from all the places that he had ever been. He never met a stranger.
He loved the Lord and was a faithful member of the North Garland Road Church of Christ in Enid.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Rosa Lee, a grandson, Ethan Dean Nelson, his brother, Bailey Eugene Johnson, sisters-in-laws, Carlene Huffman and Betty Litzell and their spouses.
Surviving are his son, Terry Lee Johnson, friend Penny Huff of Medford, OK, his daughter, LaDeana (Chuck) Nelson of Enid. His grandsons Wes (Lacy) Nelson their children, Luke, Tucker, Bryce and Kyler Nelson of Enid, Duncan (Jessie) Nelson their children, June and Waylon Nelson of Pawnee, OK. His granddaughter, Deedra (Aidin) Tucker of Okmulgee, OK. Also surviving is his sister, Mary Lou Goucher (Neil) of Waynoka, sister-in-law, Jeanie Johnson McDonald of Fairview, OK, sister-in-law, Wanda Gordon of Enid; many nephews and nieces other relatives and a host of friends.
Memorial contributions in Dean’s name may be given to the Hospice Circle of Love with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds.
Condolences may be made to the family online at www.LadusauEvans.com. Ladusau-Evans has been serving the families of the Enid Community and surrounding areas for over 40 years with compassionate service and dedication. They provide families with an open door policy. Feel free to contact them 24 hours a day. Visitation Hours: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm daily, 2800 N. Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703. Call: (580) 233-1400.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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