Elmo George Stidham, a retired Cushing business owner, beloved father and grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on Thursday, March 27, 2014 in Tulsa at the age of 85 years.
The son of James Henry Stidham and Lennie Loudella Rice Stidham, Elmo was born December 13, 1928 in Chandler, Oklahoma and was raised and educated in Chandler.
He was united in marriage to Juanita Mae McMurtry on January 18, 1948 in Davenport, Oklahoma and to this union three daughters, Gail, Joy and Kim, were born.
As a young boy Elmo started working at a gas station in Chandler, and it grew to when he retired he was the president of a Cushing based oil and gas company. At the age of 20 he went into business for himself, borrowing the money to buy a service station south of Chandler. In 1956, Elmo went to work for Earl Gibble, moving to Cushing to operate the station by the police department. Later, due to back problems he got out of the retail business and started his wholesale gas business with one bobtail truck. In 1977, he began the Stidham’s Speed-A-Way Gas Company employing over 18 employees, and owned stores in Cushing, Bristow, Stroud, Sapulpa, Claremore, Vinita, Miami and Eufaula.
Elmo was a civic-minded man and had been very active in the community over the years. Among his favorite was the Cushing Lions Club. He had served on the board of directors and attended national Lions Club conventions and played a big part in the annual fruit sales. He was also instrumental in bringing music groups from Branson, Missouri to Cushing.
He was a member of the Oak Grove Baptist Church; he enjoyed good old music and had played the guitar since he was 11 years old. He spent many hours entertaining and singing wherever they would listen to him play and sing.
Elmo was instrumental in helping the local fire department obtain the Jaws of Life and started the Ryan Lamb baseball scholarship fund at the Cushing High School. He would assist any way possible to anyone in need. He loved his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survivors include three daughters, Gail Lamb of Stillwater, Joy Vassar and her husband Benny of Cushing and Kim Young and her husband Michael of Avant; seven grandchildren, Matt Vassar and wife Natalie, Erin Robinson and her husband Shane, Scott Cochrane and his wife Sherry, Mark Lamb and his wife Holly, Sarah Worthy and her husband Steven, Caleb Young and Kaitlin Young; 7 great-grandchildren, Rachel and Rebecca Worthy, Parker, Ella and Walker Robinson, Harper and Hudson Lamb and Sydney Cochrane; three brothers, Ray Stidham of Chandler, Bobby Stidham of Sperry and Lloyd Stidham of Oklahoma City; one sister Wanda Clark of Oklahoma City; several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends including a special friend Lita Daniels of Hominy.
In addition to his wife and parents, Elmo was preceded in death by one grandson, Ryan Lamb.
Funeral services will be Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in the Oak Grove Baptist Church with Reverend George Brock, III, officiating.
Burial will follow in the Euchee Valley Memorial Park Cemetery.
You may share your condolences with the Stidham family at www.davisfh.net.
Services are under the direction of the Davis Funeral Home.
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