Obituary for Richard “Michael” Horinek, II

Richard Michael Horinek, II

September 13, 1946 — February 6, 2024

Richard Michael Horinek, II, Michael, began his journey to the Star Nation just before sunrise February 6th, 2024. Michael was born September 13, 1946, the first of 12 children to Rick and Inez Horinek.

A brilliant student, a stellar athlete, outdoorsman, mechanic, and big brother, Michael was raised in Newkirk, Oklahoma, graduating in 1964. In the summer of 1968 at Sunset Lake just outside of Bartlesville, Michael met Casey Camp and a lifetime of love began. After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelors in Business Administration (Go Pokes!) Michael and Casey moved around with their family, from Oklahoma to California, rolling cross country in the metallic green van with a white horse painted on the sides, kids in tow and made unbelievable adventures along the way.

After owning and operating a store specializing in Native American jewelry and art in Porterville, CA. They moved back to Oklahoma in 1999 and arrived at their forever home of Coyote Creek, where they created a place of safety, ceremony, and love for their huge family. Michael was an extraordinary artist. His beadwork, feather work, roaches, and moccasins are all true pieces of art that he gifted to friends and family for them to cherish forever. Alongside his brothers-in-law, Craig and Carter, and huge AIM family, Michael was an integral part of the early days of The American Indian Movement in Oklahoma. As the resident mechanic, he fixed sooooo many Indian cars and wrestled a cow or two to feed the people. Michael supported his wife and children in their traditional Ponca and Sundance ways, making lifelong relatives. Michael loved to gourd dance with his friends and family and to support his many princess granddaughters powwowing across Indian Country.

Michael was an avid fisherman. One that loved to fish for trout, especially on the White River in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with his best friend John Stalling, and his sons, grandsons, and brother Sid. His stories were as big (bigger) than the fish and he told them with such a gleam in his eye and a huge smile on his face that you were drawn in, even if you’d heard that story a time or two!

He was THE BEST, most compassionate, loving, giving, jokester, whose name had morphed from sweetheart, to Daddy, to Papa, the name we ALL called him by. His pride in his wife and children was only exceeded by his extraordinary pride in his grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Everything they did was better than anyone else had ever done it, and they could do no wrong. Papa was the instigator and chaperone for many, many country walks. Teaching his babies to look for tracks and burrows, snipes and jackalopes, always carrying binoculars for bird watching, instructing and joking the whole time. Papa walks, Papa breakfast, and Papa stories were the best!

Michael leaves behind his life mate of 54 years, Casey, his children: Troy and his son Dylan of Tyler Texas, daughter Julia of Red Rock and her children Dr. Devin, Casey, Louis and Diane, his son Mekasi of North Dakota and his children Chaz, Angelea, J’Nell, Royce, Sharon, Cody, Jewell, Wazhinguda, Branden, and Te’Nuga, his daughter Suzaatah of Ponca City and her children Jeremy, Matheanna, Isaac, Preston and Lola, son Jeff of Ponca City and his children Serena, Elizabeth, and Clara, his sisters Connie, Pam, Debbie, Angela, Christa and Tina, his brother Doug, and his favorite brother in-law, Craig Camp. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews and a whole horde of great-grand babies.

He was preceded in death by his parents Rick Horinek and Inez Williams, his brothers Jeffrey, Timmy and Terry, and his great-grandson Tayven.

Michael has been taken home to the Earthen Lodge (27100 Acre Rd., Marland OK, 74644) and meals will be served at customary times on Thursday, February, 8th, 2023. A traditional noon feast will be on Friday, February 9, 2024, and funeral services to follow and interment on the home plot.

Fish on Papa….fish on

Online condolences may be made at www.gracememorialchapel.net. Arrangements are under the care of Grace Memorial Chapel.