Wesley Hobert York was born January 21, 1924 in Sayre, Oklahoma to William H. and Jessie York and passed away February 23, 2014 at Elk City, Oklahoma at the age of 90 years, one month and two days. Wesley attended school in Crawford and Durham, Oklahoma. He married the love of his life, Ollie Mae Myers at Cheyenne, Oklahoma on April 15, 1942. Wesley was an active member in the Church of Christ and was baptized in 1953. When he was a teenager, he was kicked in the head by a horse, leaving him unconscious for four days. This accident later prevented him from serving in the military so he and Ollie moved to California where he learned to weld and worked in the shipyards, repairing ships that were damaged in the war. When they returned to Durham in 1945, Wesley drove the Durham school bus, farmed and continued welding. His day was always brightened when the guys would tell him that his weld was still holding or the part “York” welded was the strongest part of the whole thing. Wesley moved his family to Pampa, Texas where he helped build Celenese Chemical Plant then moved back to Durham in 1963. They bought the grocery store and ran it until 1970, when they went into the dairy business. They worked side by side and he always said Ollie was the best helper he ever had. After the dairy, Wesley farmed and welded full time. He was a member of the Reydon School Board from 1967 through 1971 and served as County Commissioner for Roger Mills County District #3 from 1985 through 1990. Wesley got his pacemaker in 2003 which put an end to his welding. They sold the farm in 2003 and moved to Cheyenne where they resided until present. He loved his family and friends and enjoyed playing dominoes with his friends in Durham and Cheyenne. He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, Diana Mae Chandler, four sisters, Mildred Ship, Othella Selby, Edna Hicks, Doris Hatley and two brothers, Oran “Pete” York and Phil York. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ollie York of Cheyenne, OK, one son, Richard York and wife, Luella, Reydon, OK; two daughters, Brenda Parman and husband, Buddy, Elk City, OK, Patsy York, Elk City, OK; two brothers, Carol York and wife, Carole, Hayward, CA, Donnie York and wife, Jo Nell, Durham, OK, ten grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren, several nephews and nieces, other family and a host of friends.
Services will be held Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Durham Community Building officiated by Matt Dillon and Jonathan Hagar. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Rose Chapel Funeral Service, Cheyenne, OK. Condolences can be made online at www.whineryfs.com