Obituary for Donald Buffalow

Don Buffalow

January 28, 1934 – March 11, 2022

Donald Eugene Buffalow was born at Pond Creek, Oklahoma on January 28, 1934. He was the second son of John Clarence and Clara Bernice (Hobbs) Buffalow. The family lived on the farm west of Pond Creek until 1945, when they purchased land north of Billings., Oklahoma, and moved there. Don graduated from Billings High School in 1952 , and went to California to work in the car industry. Later, he returned to the Billings area where he met the love of his life, Norma Faye Bell, and on November 19, 1955, they were united in marriage. No children were born of this marriage.

In 1959, he and Norma moved to Long Beach, California, where he was employed with Douglas Aircraft in Lakewood, California. While living in California, don pursued one of his favorite hobbies of fishing. He loved to be out on the ocean and he was either in his own little 16′ cruiser or on one of the fishing boats that went out of the piers in both Long Beach and San Diego.

In 1961, he began to farm during the summers and returned to California during the winter months. In 1964, he and Norma returned to the farm and began his life long career of wheat farming. He retired from farming in 1998. During these years, he belonged to the Ponca City Bass Masters where he competed in bass fishing tournaments and was successful in winning on the local, state, and national level. He traveled to many states and Canada to compete in tournaments and fished Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and Honduras just for his pleasure in fishing. His two favorite hobbies were bass fishing and deer hunting. And he was successful in both. His greatest accomplishment was winning the B.A.S.S. National Bass Tournament on Lake Texoma, in Southern Oklahoma in 1977.

Don attended the Church of Christ in Tonkawa. He also served a tern on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce and was active in the building of the Tonkawa Animal Shelter.

Don is survived by his nieces Pat Howard and her husband Ira of Ponca City, and Paula Ailey of Tonkawa; his nephew John Buffalow and wife Renee of Milam, TX, and many other family members.

He was preceded in death by his life wife Norma, his parents John and Clara Buffalow, his brother Joe, adopted sister Lacerne Ann Bloss, and many aunts and uncles.

Don passed from this life on March 11, 2021. There will be no viewing. His funeral service will be Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 2:00 PM at the Tonkawa Church of Christ. Burial will follow at the Tonkawa IOOF Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Tonkawa, 505 Thunderbird Rd, Tonkawa, OK 74653.

Source: Trout Funeral Home