Obituary for Orval Stanley

Orval Lewis Stanley

April 16, 1950 – November 9, 2024

Orval Lewis Stanley passed from this life to eternal life with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 9, 2024. He has the honor of fighting the good fight of faith and of finishing his course well.

Service will 2pm, Saturday, November 16, 2024 at Central Baptist Church, burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Viewing will be Friday, November 15, 2024, 9 am – 8pm at Trout Funeral Home, family will be present 6pm – 8pm.

Orval was born to Orval Stanley Sr. and Elizabeth Miller Stanley on April 16, 1950, in Decatur, Illinois. He had two sisters Nancy and Susan Gresham, and a brother John Edward Gresham. As a boy he enjoyed the country life and was raised in Calhoun County. He would spend most days outside in the woods and loved it. As he grew older, he worked for farmers and earned money, as well as gained a strong work ethic. It was when he was only 17 years old that he joined the United States Marine Corp. He proudly served three years in Vietnam until he was wounded twice in the same skirmish. He was walking point through a village when his unit walked into an ambush. He was shot in the lower leg and immediately hit the ground. He returned fire until he was hit a second time, ironically in the exact same place on his leg. It took the doctors awhile to confirm his story of being shot twice since it was in the same place. He would be honorably discharged with a purple heart and begin his life as a civilian, but never forgot his service to his country and his fellow soldiers. Like most men in that era, dad never really talked about the war. He had returned home to an ungrateful nation. He commented many times the last several years how grateful he was for the change in our society towards our military and how often he heard “Thank you for your service!” It was a stark difference from when he returned from war at 19 years old, but one he now appreciated. Dad had a great love for the Marine Corp all his life. He often said there is no such thing as a former Marine.

He met the love of his life when he fell for the beautiful Karen Otila Harrison. When they met, she had two children, Christine and John Waterloo, with whom he also fell in love. They were married on March 31, 1970, in Jerseyville, Illinois. Not long afterwards came Travis and Tammy Stanley. Although dad loved Illinois, mom convinced him to move to her state of California. I don’t know if I would call it as much convincing, as I would tricking! Either way they ended up in Southern California. The family lived in various towns in Southern California including Julian, Ramona, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, to name a few. Orval worked for Rohr Industrials and worked on airplane engines. I was so impressed that my dad worked on fighter jet engines! He was a skilled craftsman and received several awards from the company for developing solutions to various problems. He even developed a part that the company patented for the engines he worked on. Other workers would often get mad at dad for working hard and fast. He believed in doing the job right and did not like to waste time.

Dad also liked to coach sports. He was a Pop Warner football coach as well as a baseball coach. His ability to train boys was well known and even caught the attention of high school coaches who would watch his practices. Coaching sports was a natural fit.

Dad’s greatest accomplishment in life came in 1976 when Pastor Jim Baize from Midway Baptist Church in Imperial Beach, California, came to visit. It was that day that our family changed. What a great change it was, because it was that day that dad put his faith in Jesus Christ. Our life soon centered around our church, and it was the best thing that ever happened to us. Over the years, all of us have accepted Jesus Christ and have been eternally changed by this gift of salvation. It is still the greatest thing my dad did for our family. His faith, his change, saved our family.

In 1980 dad was called into the gospel ministry. He graduated from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri and then headed to El Centro, California to work for a church where he was the Youth Director and Principal of the Christian School. After El Centro, he was asked to return to Midway Baptist Church to work on the staff. Later dad started a church in Spring Valley, California named Grace Bible Baptist Church. It later merged with Fair Havens Baptist Church nearby where he and the other pastor worked to preach the gospel. His ministry continued when he and mom moved to Blackwell, Oklahoma. He pastored Grace Baptist Church in Blackwell, and also Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. Later he came to Central Baptist Church where he became a favorite teacher for many. He loved to study the Bible and had a gift for teaching the Word of God.

He was an ordinary man by all accounts. He had successes and he had failures. He was loved by many, and I imagine hated by a few. He was stubborn, opinionated, hated crowds, and yet loving and giving at the same time. However, he became extraordinary when he became a Christian and became the catalyst for all of us to accept Jesus Christ. We are confident according to the Bible that He is in heaven, and we will forever be grateful for a dad who gave us the greatest gift of all, the knowledge that he is saved and in heaven; and the example of how we could be saved and join him. It would be his greatest desire for you as family and friends to make sure that you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and that you know that you are going to heaven as well.

He was preceded in death by his parents Tom and Betty Gresham and his brother John Edward Gresham.

He is survived by his wife Karen Stanley of Ponca City; daughter Christine and husband Lawrence R. Plaatje III along with their sons Richie Plaatje and Shaefer Plaatje of Waddell, Arizona; son John and wife Brenda Waterloo of Ponca City, and their family Jonathan and Esther Waterloo and great grandkids Nora and Lucy Waterloo of Ponca City, Oklahoma and Samuel and Sarah Waterloo of Park Forest, Illinois; son Travis and wife Leah Stanley of Edmond, Oklahoma, along with their children Lauren Armstrong and three great grandchildren Summer, Ace, and Riley of Weatherford, Texas, Skyler Stanley and fiancé Tii of Fort Worth, Texas, Ben and wife Lauren Stanley of Oklahoma City, Madelyn Stanley and fiancé Connor Struble, Katie Stanley and Lily Stanley of the home in Edmond, Oklahoma; daughter Tammy and husband Miguel Trevino of Weston, Ohio and their children Ivy Trevino and great grandkids Jaymeson Trevino, Chandler Creel, and Reya Sunshine Adkins, Gabrielle Trevino of Weston, Ohio, Nate Trevino and Fiancé Jenna Tanner along with granddaughter Baby Nina Trevino all of Bowling Green, Ohio, Isabella Trevino of Weston, and Bryanna Trevino of Weston, and Fayth Trevino of Weston, Ohio. He is also survived by his sister Susan French and husband Jim who reside in Jerseyville, Illinois; sister Nancy Gipson who resides in Hillsboro, Illinois; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Ponca City Nursing and Rehab facility for the outstanding care they gave to Orval. We would also like to thank Humanity Hospice for their assistance in the final days. A special thanks to Central Baptist Church for their love and support throughout dad’s time at the church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601.

Source: Trout Funeral Home