Obituaries

Patricia Ann Esmond began her journey in 1949 when she was born in Oklahoma City. In 1954 she moved with her family to Ponca City where her parents opened the Hartford Laundromat in the new Hartford Shopping Center. She graduated from Ponca City High School in 1967 and promptly went to work in the offices at Conoco. Except for an interruption of a couple of years, Pat continued to work for Conoco (and then ConocoPhillips) mainly as an accountant in the offices and then in the refinery until she retired in 2012. Along the way she also earned her B.S. in Accounting from Oklahoma State University.

Marvin Ward Hembree, born December 30th, 1955 at Blackwell Hospital and passed at home September 8th, 2023. He was a fourth generation farmer who carried on the Hembree tradition in Oklahoma since 1893. Marvin was the youngest of four children, born to Eddie and Wilma (Miller) Hembree. He went to union school and Tonkawa High School. He was very mechanically inclined and loved cars. His talent carried him on too many jobs, including M&R Services, Bowker Ford, Evans & Associates as well as Hembree Spraying Services. Marvin married Ruth Anne Welch July 8th, 1989 and continued farming while raising two sons Michael Adam Stanley and Joel Dylan Hembree as well as his grandson Ryder Allen Hembree. Marvin enjoyed helping others and his positive outlook on life will always be remembered and cherished by his family and many friends.

Charles Wayne (Charley) Clegg, died peacefully on September 7, 2023 in his room in Memory Care, Spanish Cove Retirement Community, at the age of 84. Charley was born in Weir, Kansas, January 8, 1939 to Glenn Frank Clegg and Lavon Ernestine (Cignetti) Clegg.

Larry “Jack” Avey, 84 of Tonkawa, OK passed gently away Sunday September 10, 2023, at his home in Ralston, OK. He was born on February13, 1939 in Tonkawa, OK to William Cleveland and Mary Evalina (Blankenship) Avey, the last of twelve Avey children. Jack grew up in Tonkawa and went to Tonkawa Public Schools, proudly graduating from Tonkawa High School with the Class of 1957.He was the President of the local FFA chapter his Senior year. He also attended Northern Oklahoma College for a short time.

Bettie Jean Collins died on September 5 at 81, but her remarkable penchant for details and charming ability to out-argue anyone will not be forgotten. Born on September 27, 1941, Bettie Jean was the only child of Loranzo and Imogene McJunkin, who raised her in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Ty Joseph LeClair, 26, resident of Los Angeles, California, left this world unexpectedly on Sunday, August 27, 2023. Ty was born on December 9, 1996, in Ponca City, the son of Joseph and Tiffanie LeClair. He attended Ponca City Schools and graduated from PoHi in 2015. During his time at PoHi, he was active in baseball, track and cross country, lettering in all three sports. After graduation, Ty attended NOC in Tonkawa. He later decided that college was “not his thing.”