March 30, 1948 - December 4, 2024
John Parton was born to Danny Parton and Edyth Snead Parton. John was the last baby born in Frederick Hospital Frederick, Tillman County, Oklahoma on March 30, 1948.
During his high school years, he was a star tackle football player for Grandfield High School. He also raised sheep for his entries in the FHA contest. He won quite a few blue ribbons from that time. The wild side of this young man made him a bull rider in the local rodeo. That’s how he broke his ankle the first time. The second time was on the football field during practice, the third time was stepping in a hole. Because of his ankle injury, including five bone screws, his football scholarship was withdrawn, and his football career was over. This injury also gave him a one-Y status, making him ineligible for military service during Vietnam.
John attended Cameron Junior College in Oklahoma City and obtained his associate degree in computers and business. He was employed in a shoe store at this time. They wanted him to be the manager after graduation.
For many years, he worked for Zales Jewelry which finally brought him to Enid as a manager. Later, he joined Merrifield ‘s as the Xerox representative for Northwest Oklahoma. He worked for the Merrifield ‘s office supply for 17 years before leaving Enid and moving to Europe. While living in Enid, he was actively involved in Jaycee’s and later AMBUCS. In 1997 he was the president of the local AM AMBUCS.
Lucinda and John married in 1997 with only 20 dates over three years and many phone calls over three years. It was a marriage based on mutual faith in God and a deep friendship. On July 2, 1997, he married Lucinda, Roberson Hawkes, and left Enid to join her overseas in the Netherlands. Together they would spend the next 17 years living and traveling throughout Europe. Living in three countries: The Netherlands, Germany, and Turkey brought them many new and exciting experiences together.
In 2003, John received his Bachelor of Science in computer science with UMUC now known as UMGC, University of Maryland global campus in Heidelberg, Germany.
While living in Merkelbeek, The Netherlands, he worked half-time as a computer Help Desk and halftime running a computer training lab at Shinnen, 254th Base Support Battalion (BSB). At this time, Lucinda taught school at AFNorth in Shinnen, The Netherlands.
John and Lucinda traveled extensively, enjoying NATO privileges traveling, throughout Europe: They spent weekends in many different countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and extensively in the Netherlands.
The next adventure for John and Lucinda took them to Mannheim, Germany where Lucinda worked for the Department of Defense schools in Manheim and John was an invaluable house husband.
Within a year, John and Lucinda were off to a new adventure destination. They were off to Incirlik Airbase, Turkey. This is near Adana, Turkey, only 30 miles from the Mediterranean Sea.
John was employed in the pro shop at the golf course and perfected his skills in re-gripping golf clubs. For two different summers, he attended the Golfsmith golf club making schools in the United States. John was able to golf twice weekly in Turkey because of the lovely Mediterranean weather.
After a couple of years, John changed jobs on the base. One of the most rewarding jobs was the check-in manager at the child development center in Incirlik. Many children, under the age of five, would run to him and hug his leg. Screaming “I love you, Mr. John “He was so good with little kids.
During this time, he was a very active member of the PMOC, Protestant Men Of the Chapel. He traveled to Ephesus with these men four different times during the eight years of living in Turkey. He also did the Seven Churches tour of Paul twice. It was one of Lucinda and John’s favorite activities to take a newly arrived couple on a weekend afternoon to Tarsus, the home of Paul, and eat at the fish restaurant near the lake and waterfall from biblical times. Then hike to a Hittie Castle and finish off the trip at a kilim rug coop, where village girls learned a marketable trade of making handmade rugs. Many of the car trips were on single-lane dirt roads but when Lucinda would ask, “Where are we? I think we are lost.” John’s response was always the same. “We may be lost, but we are together.”
Incirlik Air Base hated to see John leave for his retirement in Enid, Oklahoma. He was a pillar in the Incirlik Airbase Chapel. He attended weekly bible studies and held various leadership positions within the group.
Upon retirement and returning to Enid, he renewed many friendships that had been left 17 years before. He loved attending his weekly poker game with friends from 40 years back. He rejoined his AM AMBUCS brothers volunteering for many community activities and AM trike builds and giveaways for disabled veterans and children with limitations. For many years, he posted and retrieved all the flags around the 2 Block Downtown Square on festival days.
When he left Enid, he had to give up his season tickets to the OU football games. Shortly after returning he also renewed his yearly game membership to OU football games and attended them with pride. He even built a flagpole in the front of the house, so that he could fly his team colors, red and white.
He was a member of Meadowlake Golf Course Association and for three years was on the city planning for the public golf course. He played weekly at Pheasant Run Golf Course until his health declined. He was working to get back to the game with his physical therapist. With his RX Custom Club business, he re-gripped and built golf clubs for many golf associates.
John loved adventure and travel. Soon the couple bought a Phoenix Cruiser RV, class C. John and Lucinda traveled to many states: Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. This was part of the great retirement adventure exploits.
He loved singing but listening to bluegrass picking was his favorite pastime. Right after returning to Enid, he became active in his community. Lucinda and John sang in 2013 in the last Emmanuel Baptist pageant, and they also traveled in 2014 to New York City and sang at Carnegie Hall. His favorite music was Bluegrass and gospel.
He faithfully excised three mornings with the Silver Sneakers group at the Denny Price YMCA in Enid.
John attended Walk to Emmaus and was a member of the Wednesday morning ecumenical leadership group. He was a faithful member of Istoria, a kingdom view, both locally and globally. He regularly arose at 5 AM to make these 7 AM meetings.
In recent years, John’s physical activity was more limited, but he still enjoyed reading the scriptures, his daily newspaper online, checking his emails, and playing solitaire on the computer. He faithfully excised with the silver sneakers group three mornings at the Denny Price YMCA.
He loved his grandsons, Sebastian, Ethan, and Liam: reading books aloud, watching them play ball games, and playing cards with them at home. John even built a set of custom golf clubs for Ethan. Recently he even arranged a charter fishing trip so that they could be successful fisherman. John beamed with joy when he returned home to talk about the weekend adventure.
He was loved by many because of his delightful smile. His wife and family will miss him sincerely. He lived life to the fullest. He made a multitude of wonderful memories with Lucinda and the adventurous travels while living overseas.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 11 AM in the House of Grace, 729 West Willow, Enid, Oklahoma. Cremation arrangements are with Anderson-Burris Funeral Home and Crematory.
Condolences can be made to the family online at Andersonburris.com. Honored to be recognized nationally, the past 6 years, for the Pursuit of Excellence award. Because family matters, let us take care of yours. We are proud to own the only crematory in Garfield county and ensure your loved one receives the care and respect they deserve while never leaving our care. Visit 3002 N. Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703. Call: (580) 233-2700.
