Victor Leroy Hand
Celebration of life services for Victor Leroy Hand, 83, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 12, 2008, at the South Colonial Chapel with interment to follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Services are under direction of Vondel L. Smith and Son Mortuary, 6934 S. Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73139, (405) 634-1439.

Mr. Hand was born Feb. 25, 1925, and died June 8, 2008. He retired from Wilson and Co.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gertrude, whom he met and married in Frankfurt, Germany, while serving in the U.S. Air Force; a daughter, Karen Hand-Harper and husband, Mark; sister, Lucille Beleele; and granddaughter, Jessica Rogers.

Paul Griffin
Funeral services for Paul Griffin, 75, were held Saturday in the Chapel of The Good Shepherd at McNeil’s Mustang Funeral Service.

Mr. Griffin died June 2 at his home in Mustang. He was born Dec. 14, 1932, in Porum. He grew up in Porum and was a graduate of Porum High School. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He attended OSU Tech in Okmulgee. He was a machinist by trade and was retired from FAA. He moved to Mustang in 1972.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy of the home; a daughter, Pamela Griffin of Yukon; sons, Randall of Moore and Wesley of Queen Creek, Ariz.; brothers, Harold Griffin and Philip Griffin; a sister, Joyce Reeder; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

George Bartley Sims
Funeral services for George Bartley Sims, 63, were held Wednesday in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd at McNeil’s Mustang Funeral Service, with burial with military honors in Resthaven Memory Gardens, Oklahoma City.

Mr. Sims died June 5. He was born Sept. 28, 1944, in Ponca City. He grew up in Ponca City and was a 1962 graduate of Ponca City High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and taught math at Fairfax High School. In 1968, he entered the Army and served a tour of duty in Vietnam. He and his family moved to Mustang in 1974 where he was active in community activities for several years. He retired from AT&T Lucent after 30 years of service. He was a Mason and a member of the American Legion. He was also a charter member of the Mustang Jaycees.

He is survived by his wife, Lenita of the home; sons, Perry of Mustang and Bart of Yukon; a daughter, Terri Lamkin of Mustang; brother, C.H. Sims of Ponca City; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Kyra Dawn Sowter
Funeral services for Kyra Dawn Sowter were held Tuesday at McNeil’s Funeral Service with burial in the Dale Cemetery.

Kyra died June 4 in Norman. She was born Oct. 27, 1987, in Dallas, Texas. She attended Mustang schools. She was a noted Western Days cross-country runner, coming in first place in her division every year she ran. She was employed at Pizza Hut in Shawnee and had planned to enter EMT training in the fall.

She is survived by her mother and stepfather, Kari and Wesley Tison; a brother, Tyler Sowter, and a sister, Nicole Tison of Shawnee; stepsister and brother, Toni and Glenn Burgert of Hobart; her father, David Sowter, and half sisters, Sara and Rachel Sowter of Oklahoma City; grandparents, Kathy and John Bishop of Mustang, Dorma and Ricky Tison of Shawnee, Peter Sowter of Florida and Bill Rinehart; and great-grandparents, Julia Rinehart and John and Dorothy Jones of El Reno.

Helen Willis
Funeral services for Helen Willis, 76, were held Monday in the Chapel of The Good Shepherd at McNeil’s Mustang Funeral Service with burial in Resthaven Memory Gardens, Oklahoma City.

Mrs. Willis died June 5 at Grace Living Center in Bethany. She was born May 7, 1932, in El Reno. She grew up in Wheatland and attended Wheatland Elementary School and Capitol Hill High School. She worked many years in food service.

She is survived by a daughter, Susan Hayes of Yukon; a sister, Edalane Johnston of Allen, Texas; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.