Lester A. Black

Celebration of life services for Lester Alvis Black will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2013, at Marshall Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Mike Taylor, pastor of the Alva First Baptist Church officiating. Interment will be in the Alva Municipal Cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home of Alva. Lester Alvis Black, son of the late John Samuel and Ollie Mae (Reed) Black, was born September 2, 1928, in Walnut Grove, Missouri, and passed away April 8, 2013, in Alva, Oklahoma, at the age of 84 years, 7 months, and 6 days. Les attended school in several communities and, although he never received anything beyond an 8th grade education, he later obtained his GED and attended college. He was united in marriage to Betty June Dufield. He lived in Alva where he worked as a heavy equipment operator for Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company, retiring after 40 years. On March 3, 1978, he was united in marriage to Barbera Ellen Trantham at Waynoka, Oklahoma. He was a member of Alva Moose Lodge. He enjoyed traveling and going to casinos, camping, fishing, building things, and renovating houses. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Barbera; one daughter, Barbera Jene Jackman; three brothers, Johnny, Ernie, and Chester Black; and two sisters, Daisy Rowland and Mildred Gast. Les is survived by his companion, Helen Cooper, of Alva; two sons, Leslie Wayne Black of Arlington, Texas, and Dennis Dene Pannell and wife, Sharon, of Enid; three daughters, Dr. Shari Villani Swoyer and husband, Chris, of Norman, Lisa Ann Stewart of Plains, Montana, and Robyn Reneé Huggins and husband, Jamie, of Wichita; four brothers, Melvin Black and wife, Mildred, of Vincentown, New Jersey, Marvin Black and wife, Trena, of Fredericksburg, Texas, Cifford Black and wife, Jean, of Kingsland, Texas, and Robert Black and wife, Kathy, of Orcutt, California; and one sister, Clara Townsend of Anchorage, Alaska. Also surviving are ten grandchildren, Christopher Villani and wife, Janet, of Norman, Travis Villani and wife, Audrey of Norman, Ryan Villani and wife, Jennifer, of Norman, Bo Pannell of Blackwell, Christopher Jackman of Kansas City, Missouri, Mickealla Jackman of Jersey City, New Jersey, Shonna Calisi and husband, Matt, of Okinawa, Japan, Mark Stewart of Plains, Montana, Nathaniel Stewart of Plains, Montana, and Paige Huggins of Wichita, Kansas; three great grandchildren, Lillian Grace Villani, Reed Mathew Villani, and Patton Andrew Pannell, as well as three more Villani great grandkids on the way; other relatives and friends. Memorial contributions may be made through the funeral home to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation for heart disease research.

Lester A. Black

September 2, 1928 - April 8, 2013