Published: September 10, 2009 10:20 am      

9-10-09 obituaries

'BIG JOHN' WILLIAMSON

STONEWALL — Memorial services for “Big John” Arthur Williamson, 45, Stonewall are 12 noon Saturday at Stonewall First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, the Rev. Richard Dickerson will officiate.

Mr. Williamson died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, at a local hospital. He was born Feb. 11, 1964, at Ada to Chester Williamson Jr. and Phyllis J. Snell Williamson.

He graduated from Stonewall High school. Mr. Williamson lived in the Lindsay area from 1966 until 1979 and then moved back to Stonewall. He was a truck driver for Doyle Nelson Trucking until his retirement.

Survivors include his parents, Chester and Phyllis Williamson, Stonewall; one sister, Darla Maxwell and husband Jesse, Stonewall; one niece, Lauren Williamson, Stonewall; one nephew, Lane Boissenin, Stonewall; and several aunts, uncles, and other relatives.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada



LORENE J. ZIMMERMAN

MADISON, Wis. — Services for Lorene J. Zimmerman, 86, will be 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, at Asbury United Methodist Church in Madison, Wis. Burial will follow at Middleton Junction Cemetery at Middleton Wis. Visitation will be Friday at 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service.

Mrs. Zimmerman died Friday, Sept. 4, 2009. She was born Aug. 10, 1923, at Nashoba, Okla. She attended grade school in Nashoba and high school at Clayton, Okla. She attended East Central University in Ada, Okla., becoming the first member of her family to graduate from college. Mrs. Zimmerman stayed with East Central as assistant registrar where she met her husband, Harry P. Zimmerman. They married Aug. 10, 1946, at the old Methodist Church in Ada.

The couple lived in Oklahoma City then moved to Wisconsin in 1958. Mrs. Zimmerman worked in human resources at M&I Bank of Hilldale for several years.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Jay and William Hagness, of Middleton, Wis., daughter-in-law Karen Lauria Zimmerman, Apple Valley, Minn., brother and sister-in-law Casey and Glynn Johnson of Rosebug, Ore., sister-in-law and husband, Phyllis and Stanley Lasarsky, and grandchildren Nicholas Zimmerman (Tami Greunhagen) of Hudson, Wis., Erin Hagness of Evanston, Ill., Leah Zimmerman of Madison, Wis., and Sarah Hagness of Middleton, Wis.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Franklin and Lillie May Johnson; her husband, Harry P. Zimmerman; son, H. Paul Zimmerman; sister and brother-in-law, Avie Lavon (Bonnie) and James Howard; her husband’s parents, John W. and Clara Zimmerman; sister-in-law, Clara Ruth Zimmerman Alexander; brother-in-law, John W. Jr. and his wife Alline Palmore Zimmerman.

Memorials may be made to the American Parkinson’s Association.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.adaeveningnews.com.

Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Centers, Middleton, Wis.



DON FORTENBERRY

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Private memorial services for Donald Ray “Don” Fortenberry, 69, Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Ada, Okla., will be held Saturday.

Mr. Fortenberry died Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nev. He was born Oct. 1, 1939, at Stratford, Okla., to William H. and Edna Eeds Fortenberry.

He attended Ada schools and graduated from Marana High School in Marana, Ariz.

He married Joyce Rogers. She preceded him in death.

Mr. Fortenberry was a self-employed contractor, was of the Baptist faith and had served in the U.S. Army from May 12, 1964 until June 22, 1965. He was a paratrooper.

Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Edna Hill and Arch Hill, Ada; three sisters, Flora Dunne, Shawnee, Desta Karschnik, Ada, and Doris M. Kinder and husband Sam, Shawnee, Okla.; his companion, Donna Chrisman; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son, Darren S. Fortenberry on May 10, 2004, his father, William H. Fortenberry, and his stepfather, Sam Pitts.

An online guestbook is available at www.adaeveningnews.com.