Obituary for Henry Pendergraft

Henry Paul Pendergraft of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Tuesday evening, December 3, 2013, in the Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City at the age of 88 years.

Henry Paul Pendergraft was born on May 10, 1925, in Jacket, Missouri, to Wesley and Mamaie (Scott) Pendergraft. He grew up in Jacket attending Buzzard Glory School. Henry entered the United States Army on June 7, 1944 and was honorably discharged on December 15, 1944. Following his discharge he began working in the C.C. Camp where he met Bobbie Moran and they married in 1946 in Cassville, Missouri. They moved to Colorado for a year before returning to Cassville. They moved to Blackwell in 1949 where he began working as a core maker for Acme Foundry and worked there for thirty-one years. On October 5, 1955, he married Betty Arnold in Newkirk, Oklahoma, and they settled in Blackwell. He later worked as the custodian for the Blackwell Public Library for ten years. He married Karen Hamburg on March 31, 2007, in Blackwell. He was a member of the Church of Christ, Veterans of Foreign Wars, A.A.R.P., and the American Legion. He enjoyed gardening, watching western shows and movies, attending family reunions, and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Seacat of Blackwell; two daughters, Ilene Gautney and husband Darrell of Seligman, Missouri, and Etta Webster and husband Russell of Deer Creek, Oklahoma; four sons, Richard Pendergraft and wife Sandy of Seligman, Missouri, Eddie Pendergraft of Blackwell, Ronald Pendergraft and wife Sonja of Newton, Kansas, and Donald Pendergraft and wife Kim of Blackwell; two sisters, Mary Southard of Portland, Oregon, and Lora Fleming of Wellington, Kansas; twenty-one grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren; and five great great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wives, Bobbie and Betty; a brother, Grover Pendergraft; and seven sisters, Hannah and Anna Pendergraft, Cecil Bray, Leo Arnold, Ruth Cutbirth, Mamaie Laughlin and Lucille Cockrell.

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Monday, December 9th in the Blackwell Church of Christ with Lanny Jobe officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Olive Cemetery in Nardin.

Casketbearers will be Jimmy Rhea, Luke Rhea, Bob Tull, Neil Pendergraft, Dee Blackburn and Tommy LeClair. Serving as honorary casketbearers will be Brandi Neal, Carlin Pendergraft, Rachel Pendergraft, Courtney Pendergraft, Ashley Pendergraft and Brittney Pendergraft.

A memorial has been established in his honor with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation for diabetes research in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.