September 7, 1932 - December 24, 2021
The funeral service for Raymond D. North, 89 year-old Enid resident is 10:00AM Thursday, December 30, 2021 in the Christ Church of the Covenant Church. Rev. Pat Sutterman officiationg. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home.
Raymond Dean North was born to John and Ruby North in Douglas, Oklahoma on September 7, 1932. He was the second oldest son of 11 brothers and sisters. He was born in a two room farmhouse with no electricity or running water. He was on the state championship basketball team and was the valedictorian of his graduating class from Douglas School in 1950. He enrolled in Oklahoma A&M but took a leave of absence after his freshman year to go join the US Army and fight in the Korean War.
He enlisted and completed his training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in field artillery and was quickly promoted to Sergeant. He served 2 years in Korea with the 303rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery. Upon discharge from the Army in 1953, he used his GI Bill benefits to resume his studies at Oklahoma A&M where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 1955 with Summa Cum Laude Honors. He then enrolled at the University of Oklahoma and in 1958 graduated with a Juris Doctorate in Law.
Upon graduating he returned to his family farm near Douglas, Oklahoma. He passed the Bar Examination on his first try and when he received his certificate, he borrowed 10 dollars from his mom and hitchhiked to Enid, Oklahoma. He stood on the steps of the courthouse and would ask inmates being escorted in by the sheriff if they had a lawyer and if they could request the court appoint him to defend them. The first thing he did with his proceeds was to pay back his mom. He continued practicing law in Enid for over 58 years.
He was a member of the Enid Gardening Club and has been an organic farmer his entire life. He taught gardening classes through the Enid Adult Education Extension for many years. He has been an active member of the Oddfellows for over 50 years and he enjoyed helping with many projects but especially enjoyed the shoe program. He is a past member of the Boy Scouts of America as an assistant scoutmaster and scoutmaster of Troop 11 for over 20 years. Ray was a Vigil Honor Member of the Order of the Arrow, which is the scouting honor society. His three sons are all Eagle Scouts, and he has helped many young men earn Eagle Scout Rank. He was an active member of the Christian Church of the Covenant on South Cleveland in Enid, OK.
Ray hosted an annual Thanksgiving Day dinner at Meadow Point Apartments. This was started with his late wife, Rosalie, and many of his brothers and sisters and their families helped since Rosalie’s passing. This annual dinner is offered at no cost to residents. The Christian Church of the Covenant has assumed continuing this Thanksgiving Day dinner as a part of their ministry with continued financial support from the North families.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife Rosalie North, whom he was married to for 35 years at the time of her death in 2001; his parents John and Ruby; his sisters Thelma, Wilma, and Nellie and his brother Carl. Ray passed peacefully on December 24, 2021 at Greenbriar Nursing home in Enid, Oklahoma surrounded by his family.
Ray is survived by his children; David and Ralinda North and their sons, Mason, Porter, and Baker of Overland Park, Kansas; William and Elizabeth North and their children, Connor and Caysie of Pond Creek, Oklahoma; Lee and Amanda North and their sons Stephen and Jacob of Overland Park, Kansas; his brothers John North of Henderson, Texas; Tommy North of Enid, Oklahoma and Keith and Diana North of Taylorsville, Utah; his sisters Katherine Schurr of Fairborn, Ohio; Lou and Hank Geisinger of Perry, Oklahoma; Bernita and Charles Boesch of Ponca City, Oklahoma; and many nieces and nephews.
As Ray was a lifelong advocate for the poor and underprivileged, the family has asked for Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers be given through Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home to the Enid Oddfellows Shoe Ministry, Loaves and Fishes, or the Annual Thanksgiving Meal hosted by the Christian Church of the Covenant.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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