Cecil Ernest Roth, died Friday evening Oct. 12, 2007 at his home in Ponca City. He was 89. Cecil was born on May 23, 1918, to Ervin C. and Laura L. (Haun) Rath in Braman, Okla. He was the grandson of Jacob and Nellie Rath, who rode in the strip, who subsequently settled on a claim 5 miles south of Medford, Oklahoma Territory. His grandfather, Jacob, had immigrated from Eckartsweir, Baden, Germany, with his parents at the age of two.
Cecil's school years were spent in Braman and Newkirk, Okla. As a teenager he worked for various farmers and ranchers in the Newkirk area. His talent in handling animals was well known and was called upon to break horses to ride ride and do a variety of farming chores. Although he and his wife settled in town, Cecil continued his love of farming and raising farm animals as a hobby. At one point…he raised mules and in the 60's sold a team of mules to the LBJ Ranch in Texas.
Some of Cecil's fondest memories were of the penny candy he used to get at the local store in Newkirk and as he grew older he was particularly fond of peppermint Christmas candy. At the age of 13 he saw his first "talkie", a movie involving a train. He said the train looked real and enormous on the screen. When he was barely 12 he got his first taste of coca-cola.
As others of his day and age he worked a variety of jobs as the depression had settled in. Working the railroad near Braman he drove a set of mules to carry rock and dirt to build overpasses for the railroad. At another point in his life he acquired the nickname of Smoky when he worked for a foundry in Blackwell. His job required him to use tongs to throw metal into a bucket. The metal chunks were hot and if they dropped he would pick them up with his gloved hand and toss them back into the bucket. As he did so, the gloves he used would seem to smoke. His co-workers stuck the nickname on him and for years he was known as "Smoky."
In 1936 Cecil met Opal Owen in Braman, Okla. On Aug. 9, 1937 Cecil and Opal Grace Frances (Owen) Roth were married in Winfield, Kan. they made their home in Newkirk for a short time before making Ponca City their permanent residence. Prior to her death in 1995 they had celebrated 57 years of marriage and the union had produced one son and three daughters.
Cecil's career choices allowed his creative talents to be known. Shortly before World War II, he was employed with the Cities Service Oil Company. As the war progressed Cecil was drafted and during a basic training exercise was seriously injured. Ultimately this injury contributed to his blindness in later years. Upon his return home he drove a truck for a local rock quarry for a few years. His lifetime ambition was to be an electrician and he was able to utilize this interest by working for the next 55 years for Hudson Motors, Cox Electric and Mertz Manufacturing. Although he retired at the age of 65, Cecil continued to do electrical work for family and friends out of his workshop at home until the age of 77.
He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Blinded Veterans Association.
After the death of his wife, Cecil remained independent in his home through the loving care of his grandchildren, Donnie and Tammy Klinger and their children Kanten and Hadley.
Survivors include his daughters, Rosalie Reynolds of Bartlesville, Gloria (Joy) Sheats of Edmond and Linda Roth of Olathe, Kansas; one sister, Marjorie Ertman of Fullerton, CA, several grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, one son, two grandchildren, five brothers and two sisters.
Private family services were held at Resthaven Memorial Park, under the direction and assistance Trout Funeral Home on Oct. 15, 2007 at 11am. Cecil was laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Opal.
Trout Funeral Home
Cecil's school years were spent in Braman and Newkirk, Okla. As a teenager he worked for various farmers and ranchers in the Newkirk area. His talent in handling animals was well known and was called upon to break horses to ride ride and do a variety of farming chores. Although he and his wife settled in town, Cecil continued his love of farming and raising farm animals as a hobby. At one point…he raised mules and in the 60's sold a team of mules to the LBJ Ranch in Texas.
Some of Cecil's fondest memories were of the penny candy he used to get at the local store in Newkirk and as he grew older he was particularly fond of peppermint Christmas candy. At the age of 13 he saw his first "talkie", a movie involving a train. He said the train looked real and enormous on the screen. When he was barely 12 he got his first taste of coca-cola.
As others of his day and age he worked a variety of jobs as the depression had settled in. Working the railroad near Braman he drove a set of mules to carry rock and dirt to build overpasses for the railroad. At another point in his life he acquired the nickname of Smoky when he worked for a foundry in Blackwell. His job required him to use tongs to throw metal into a bucket. The metal chunks were hot and if they dropped he would pick them up with his gloved hand and toss them back into the bucket. As he did so, the gloves he used would seem to smoke. His co-workers stuck the nickname on him and for years he was known as "Smoky."
In 1936 Cecil met Opal Owen in Braman, Okla. On Aug. 9, 1937 Cecil and Opal Grace Frances (Owen) Roth were married in Winfield, Kan. they made their home in Newkirk for a short time before making Ponca City their permanent residence. Prior to her death in 1995 they had celebrated 57 years of marriage and the union had produced one son and three daughters.
Cecil's career choices allowed his creative talents to be known. Shortly before World War II, he was employed with the Cities Service Oil Company. As the war progressed Cecil was drafted and during a basic training exercise was seriously injured. Ultimately this injury contributed to his blindness in later years. Upon his return home he drove a truck for a local rock quarry for a few years. His lifetime ambition was to be an electrician and he was able to utilize this interest by working for the next 55 years for Hudson Motors, Cox Electric and Mertz Manufacturing. Although he retired at the age of 65, Cecil continued to do electrical work for family and friends out of his workshop at home until the age of 77.
He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Blinded Veterans Association.
After the death of his wife, Cecil remained independent in his home through the loving care of his grandchildren, Donnie and Tammy Klinger and their children Kanten and Hadley.
Survivors include his daughters, Rosalie Reynolds of Bartlesville, Gloria (Joy) Sheats of Edmond and Linda Roth of Olathe, Kansas; one sister, Marjorie Ertman of Fullerton, CA, several grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, one son, two grandchildren, five brothers and two sisters.
Private family services were held at Resthaven Memorial Park, under the direction and assistance Trout Funeral Home on Oct. 15, 2007 at 11am. Cecil was laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Opal.
Trout Funeral Home
Cecil Ernest Roth, died Friday evening Oct. 12, 2007 at his home in Ponca City. He was 89. Cecil was born on May 23, 1918, to Ervin C. and Laura L. (Haun) Rath in Braman, Okla. He was the grandson of Jacob and Nellie Rath, who rode in the strip, who subsequently settled on a claim 5 miles south of Medford, Oklahoma Territory. His grandfather, Jacob, had immigrated from Eckartsweir, Baden, Germany, with his parents at the age of two.
Cecil's school years were spent in Braman and Newkirk, Okla. As a teenager he worked for various farmers and ranchers in the Newkirk area. His talent in handling animals was well known and was called upon to break horses to ride ride and do a variety of farming chores. Although he and his wife settled in town, Cecil continued his love of farming and raising farm animals as a hobby. At one point…he raised mules and in the 60's sold a team of mules to the LBJ Ranch in Texas.
Some of Cecil's fondest memories were of the penny candy he used to get at the local store in Newkirk and as he grew older he was particularly fond of peppermint Christmas candy. At the age of 13 he saw his first "talkie", a movie involving a train. He said the train looked real and enormous on the screen. When he was barely 12 he got his first taste of coca-cola.
As others of his day and age he worked a variety of jobs as the depression had settled in. Working the railroad near Braman he drove a set of mules to carry rock and dirt to build overpasses for the railroad. At another point in his life he acquired the nickname of Smoky when he worked for a foundry in Blackwell. His job required him to use tongs to throw metal into a bucket. The metal chunks were hot and if they dropped he would pick them up with his gloved hand and toss them back into the bucket. As he did so, the gloves he used would seem to smoke. His co-workers stuck the nickname on him and for years he was known as "Smoky."
In 1936 Cecil met Opal Owen in Braman, Okla. On Aug. 9, 1937 Cecil and Opal Grace Frances (Owen) Roth were married in Winfield, Kan. they made their home in Newkirk for a short time before making Ponca City their permanent residence. Prior to her death in 1995 they had celebrated 57 years of marriage and the union had produced one son and three daughters.
Cecil's career choices allowed his creative talents to be known. Shortly before World War II, he was employed with the Cities Service Oil Company. As the war progressed Cecil was drafted and during a basic training exercise was seriously injured. Ultimately this injury contributed to his blindness in later years. Upon his return home he drove a truck for a local rock quarry for a few years. His lifetime ambition was to be an electrician and he was able to utilize this interest by working for the next 55 years for Hudson Motors, Cox Electric and Mertz Manufacturing. Although he retired at the age of 65, Cecil continued to do electrical work for family and friends out of his workshop at home until the age of 77.
He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Blinded Veterans Association.
After the death of his wife, Cecil remained independent in his home through the loving care of his grandchildren, Donnie and Tammy Klinger and their children Kanten and Hadley.
Survivors include his daughters, Rosalie Reynolds of Bartlesville, Gloria (Joy) Sheats of Edmond and Linda Roth of Olathe, Kansas; one sister, Marjorie Ertman of Fullerton, CA, several grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, one son, two grandchildren, five brothers and two sisters.
Private family services were held at Resthaven Memorial Park, under the direction and assistance Trout Funeral Home on Oct. 15, 2007 at 11am. Cecil was laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Opal.
Trout Funeral Home
Cecil's school years were spent in Braman and Newkirk, Okla. As a teenager he worked for various farmers and ranchers in the Newkirk area. His talent in handling animals was well known and was called upon to break horses to ride ride and do a variety of farming chores. Although he and his wife settled in town, Cecil continued his love of farming and raising farm animals as a hobby. At one point…he raised mules and in the 60's sold a team of mules to the LBJ Ranch in Texas.
Some of Cecil's fondest memories were of the penny candy he used to get at the local store in Newkirk and as he grew older he was particularly fond of peppermint Christmas candy. At the age of 13 he saw his first "talkie", a movie involving a train. He said the train looked real and enormous on the screen. When he was barely 12 he got his first taste of coca-cola.
As others of his day and age he worked a variety of jobs as the depression had settled in. Working the railroad near Braman he drove a set of mules to carry rock and dirt to build overpasses for the railroad. At another point in his life he acquired the nickname of Smoky when he worked for a foundry in Blackwell. His job required him to use tongs to throw metal into a bucket. The metal chunks were hot and if they dropped he would pick them up with his gloved hand and toss them back into the bucket. As he did so, the gloves he used would seem to smoke. His co-workers stuck the nickname on him and for years he was known as "Smoky."
In 1936 Cecil met Opal Owen in Braman, Okla. On Aug. 9, 1937 Cecil and Opal Grace Frances (Owen) Roth were married in Winfield, Kan. they made their home in Newkirk for a short time before making Ponca City their permanent residence. Prior to her death in 1995 they had celebrated 57 years of marriage and the union had produced one son and three daughters.
Cecil's career choices allowed his creative talents to be known. Shortly before World War II, he was employed with the Cities Service Oil Company. As the war progressed Cecil was drafted and during a basic training exercise was seriously injured. Ultimately this injury contributed to his blindness in later years. Upon his return home he drove a truck for a local rock quarry for a few years. His lifetime ambition was to be an electrician and he was able to utilize this interest by working for the next 55 years for Hudson Motors, Cox Electric and Mertz Manufacturing. Although he retired at the age of 65, Cecil continued to do electrical work for family and friends out of his workshop at home until the age of 77.
He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Blinded Veterans Association.
After the death of his wife, Cecil remained independent in his home through the loving care of his grandchildren, Donnie and Tammy Klinger and their children Kanten and Hadley.
Survivors include his daughters, Rosalie Reynolds of Bartlesville, Gloria (Joy) Sheats of Edmond and Linda Roth of Olathe, Kansas; one sister, Marjorie Ertman of Fullerton, CA, several grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, one son, two grandchildren, five brothers and two sisters.
Private family services were held at Resthaven Memorial Park, under the direction and assistance Trout Funeral Home on Oct. 15, 2007 at 11am. Cecil was laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Opal.
Trout Funeral Home
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