The funeral service for Lloyd Fred Gragert will be 2:00 P.M. Sunday, October 6, 2019 at the Douglas Christian Union Church with Reverend Robert Stewart officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Henninger~Hinson Funeral Home. A visitation with family and friends will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the funeral home.
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On June 23, 1925, at the rural Gragert farm home near Douglas, Oklahoma, Lloyd Fred George Gragert was born to Herman & Anna (Schneider) Gragert, the 5th of 6 children. Lloyd grew up on that farm & attended elementary school at Otter Creek, on the land that his parents had donated for a school, then graduated from Douglas High School in 1943. After graduation he joined the Marines & fought in Pacific battles of WWII, fighting in Guam, Saipan & Iwo Jima. He was honorably discharged on Dec. 1, 1945 & returned home to Douglas, where he started working for CONTINENTAL OIL COMPANY.
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He met his wife, Gertrude (Trudy) Swiggart on a double-date & said the first time he saw her he knew he was going to marry her, which he did on May 29, 1948. That love relationship continued for 71+ years. After marriage they lived in Douglas and had 2 daughters, Susan & Nancy.
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In 1952, the family moved to Wyoming where he continued working for Continental Oil Company (CONOCO). While there a 3rd daughter, Pamela, was born & he was told by the “big Boss” that CONOCO had big plans for him. However, his father died in 1960 and the 3 Gragert boys were asked if any of them wanted to take over the Gragert/Schneider farm. Lloyd did and in April, 1960, he moved his family, in a pickup pulling a camper (which carried 3 precious colored Easter chicks given to his daughters. Little did they know that when chicks grow they lose their color & soon became family supper!) Trudy drove the car carrying their precious Siamese Cat and the daughters, almost something out of The Grapes of Wrath!
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Lloyd continued farming until 2016 when he rented out the farmland. He downsized greatly but continued with the cattle business until his death, with the help of his grandson, Joe Jr.
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Lloyd served on the Douglas Elevator Board for many years, the Douglas School Board for 5-6 years, during which time he was involved in the Consolidation of the Douglas & Covington school districts. Governor Henry Bellmon ended up drawing the boundary lines for the Covington-Douglas School District. He served on the CD School Board for many years. He was a member of the Douglas Christian Union Church since 1960 where he served as deacon, elder and Sunday-School Teacher.
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Lloyd was preceded in death by two daughters, Susan Smith and Pamela Loesch; son-in-law, Stanley Loesch; a great-grandson, Jett Smith, plus his parents; three sisters and a brother.
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He is survived by his wife, Trudy of the home; one daughter, Nancy Nelson snd her husband, Tom of Douglas; son-in-law, Joe Smith of Covington; five grandchildren and their spouses, Joe Smith Jr. and Christe; Kevin and Machelle Smith; Nathan and Venessa Nelson; Karrah and James Cronister; Hannah and Colby O’Donnell; along with seven great-grandchildren, Cole and Houston Smith, Gabe, Gracyn and Gibson Smith; Landry Conister and Asher O’Donnell; also his younger brother, John Gragert.
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He passed from this life to be with his Lord and be reunited with his daughters and family members on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019.
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Obituaries are posted due to the generosity of The Commons.
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