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Funeral Services for Clarence Fodder, 88, Walters, OK were at Brown Indian Baptist Church, Walters, Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., Rev. Kent Simpson officiating, assisted by Rev. Ken Sullivan, under the direction of Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home. Interment in the Walters Cemetery with Military Honors. A Prayer Service was held at Brown Indian Baptist Church on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.
Clarence Gray Fodder was born to William and Florence (Bird) Fodder on June 8, 1931 in Tahlequah, OK. He departed this life in Lawton, OK on August 2, 2019 at the age of 88 years, 1 month and 25 days.
Clarence grew up at Tahlequah where he graduated from high school in 1951. He then attended Bacone College on a full-ride, football scholarship, receiving his associate’s degree. He married Marlene Joyce Nahwooksy on September 12, 1952, south of Walters, OK at Brown Indian Baptist Church. Clarence attended Cameron College for a time. They made their home in Walters, OK. Clarence joined the United States Army shortly thereafter, serving honorably during the Korean War. He lived at the family homestead south of Walters since 1959. He worked at the Fort Sill Indian School as a resident advisor before making his career as a soil conservation technician, for many years with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He was a proud, full-blood, citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
He was awarded an Honorary Master’s of Humane Letters from Bacone College where he served on the Board of Trustees for 8 years. He also served 10 years on the Board of Trustees for the Murrow Home, an Indian Children’s orphanage in Muskogee, OK. He served as a General Board member of the American Baptist Churches, USA. He also served as moderator and vice chair of the Oklahoma Indian American Baptist Association. He had been a member of the Walters Masonic Lodge. He was a longtime member and deacon of Brown Indian Baptist Church.
Clarence was a fan of the Oakland Raiders, OU Football, Thunder Basketball, and the Walters Blue Devils. He enjoyed fishing, carpentry, building things, being outside, driving his Gator and going out to eat. He enjoyed going to his great grandson’s ball games and had a special nickname for each of them. He loved when the family was all gathered at his home. He loved his cat, Mack, and his dogs Tebow and Zeke all of the home.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother; and his wife Marlene in 1998.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Fred W. “Billy” and Pam Fodder of Walters; his sister, Betty Hair of Tahlequah, OK; 3 grandkids and spouses, Dr. Torivio “Tory” Fodder of Tucson, AZ, Andrea and Jacob Calfy of Walters, Chelsey and JT Liles of Walters; adopted grandkids, Randy Widefoot and wife Tabitha of Lawton, Lucas Davis and wife Meghann of Houston, TX; 4 great grandsons, Clark William Fodder of Bloomington, IN, Garrett Levi and Seth Allen Calfy both of Walters, and Jacob Conrad Liles of Hulen, OK; 4 adopted great grandkids, Johnny, Jonathan and Randall Widefoot of Lawton, and Cole Davis of Houston; many other relatives and a host of friends.