Obituary for Stephen Randall

Stephen Randall

July 26, 1947 – September 25, 2024

Stephen Clifford Randall, 77, of Tonkawa, Oklahoma, left this life on September 25,2024. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the Tonkawa High School Events Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 505 Thunderbird Road, Tonkawa, OK, 74653.

Stephen was born July 26, 1947, to Clifford and Dorotha Downing Randall in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the second of their two sons. Steve attended school in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, graduating from Charles Page High School in 1965. He was a state champion wrestler his senior year and also played football. Immediately after graduation, Steve earned a spot on an Oklahoma All Star wrestling team that toured Japan in the summer of 1965. He attended Oklahoma State University on a wrestling scholarship in the fall of 1965, then enlisted in the Army and served from 1966-1968. After being honorably discharged, Steve attended Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, where he was a member of the NOC wrestling team. While attending NOC, he met his wife Debby. They married December 28, 1971, and moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, where he wrestled for the University of Central Oklahoma Broncos and was an NAIA All-American in 1973.

Upon graduating from college in 1974, Steve and Debby moved back to Tonkawa, where he was employed by United Farm Tool. While working there, he and his wife were blessed with three sons, Ryan, Kevin, and Shane. Steve continued working for UFT until it was sold in 1985. Then he and his father-in-law went into the oil business. Upon the death of Ruel, he started working for Tonkawa Public Schools as maintenance supervisor, driving buses, and helping coach. Steve spent many years coaching wrestling at Tonkawa at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. He also enjoyed riding his Harley and spending time with his family. Steve was a member of the First Baptist Church in Tonkawa, but had been attending the Tonkawa First United Methodist Church in recent years.

He enjoyed watching his sons and grandkids participate in all of their sports, as well as driving the bus for the Buccaneer football team for many years. Steve enjoyed driving the activity bus, especially when his grandkids were participating. He was always there to give support to all the kids and maybe give them a hard time. Steve also enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and other family members. To know Steve was to realize if he was picking on you, you know he liked you. He always had to share that ornery spirit with all he met. He always enjoyed visiting with his coffee buddies on Saturday and Sunday morning. Trout fishing and hanging out with family at Lilley’s Landing in Branson, was something he looked forward to do doing every summer.

Survivors include: his wife, Debby; sons, Ryan and wife, Catie, Kevin and wife, Jaime, and Shane; grandchildren, Jake, Reid, Maddy, Tegan, Emmersyn, and Hollynn. He was preceded in death by a very special granddaughter, Aspyn Mary Rose Randall in 2022; his parents; and an older brother, Gary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tonkawa Takedown Club, PO Box 424, Tonkawa, OK, 74653, or First National Bank of Oklahoma, 101 W. Grand Ave, Tonkawa, OK, 74653.

Source: Trout Funeral Home