Obituary for Paul Didlake

Paul Didlake

April 28, 1954 – April 20, 2019

Paul Steven Didlake passed away at 2:15 pm on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at Jane Phillips Memorial Hospital in Bartlesville, OK. Paul was born in Henrietta, OK on April 28, 1954, to Jim and Carole Didlake. The family moved to Ponca City while Paul was in junior high. He graduated from Ponca City High School in 1972. Shortly after graduation, he joined the National Guard Army Reserve and attended Oklahoma State University. He met the love of his life, Lisa Petty when he was 20 years old and they married on May 8, 1976. While in Ponca City, he owned and operated Didlake Construction for 27 years. In 2004, he relocated to Bartlesville with his wife, where he became involved in law enforcement, working as a deputy sheriff for the Osage County Sheriff’s Department, and also served as Chief of Police in Barnsdall for a short time. He was a concealed carry firearms instructor, which combined both his passions for law enforcement and teaching others.

Paul loved the outdoors. He took great pride in taking care of his land and his cattle. Over the years, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, airboating and many other outdoor activities. He was a life-long learner and loved to read and could always be found with a book in his hands. He was a history buff and loved old westerns and politics. Anyone that knew him, knew that he was a great story teller with a great sense of humor and could make anyone laugh. He never met a stranger and treated everyone with respect.

Most of all, he was a family man. There was nothing Paul loved more than his wife, his kids, and his grandchildren. And his favorite days were the simple ones when they were all together.

Paul is survived by his wife, Lisa Didlake of Bartlesville, daughter, Brook and husband Winston Lindsay of Ponca City, daughter, Clair Wood of Bartlesville, and son, Hutch Didlake of Bartlesville, grandchildren; Quinn and Lorelei Lindsay, Deserae, Hanah, Camille and Nora Wood, and Jarek Didlake; his sister Kerin and the late Sherman Miller of Broken Arrow, his brother Russ and wife Tracy Didlake of Ponca City, and sister Mardi Didlake of Ponca City and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Carole Didlake.

Memorial contributions may be made in Paul’s name to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.

A funeral ceremony to gratefully celebrate Paul’s life will be held at 11am Thursday, April 25, 2019, in the Worship Center at First Baptist Church, 218 S. 6th St., Ponca City with Pastor Michael Taylor officiating. The family would like to invite everyone to join them immediately after the ceremony for a reception in the Assembly Center at the church. A graveside ceremony will commence at 1:30 P.M. at Resthaven Memorial Park, following the reception.

Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

Source: Trout Funeral Home