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© Whinery~Huddleston Funeral Service Lawton, Oklahoma May 18, 2015 Delores Yvonne [Pinkston] Myles Long-time educator and award-winning Toastmaster, Delores Yvonne Myles, 83, of Lawton, Okla., passed away September 3, 2015. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Service. Burial will follow at Fort Sill National Cemetery, in Elgin, at 1 p.m. Delores was born Dec. 7, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, to Jesse and Gladys Pinkston, as the younger sister to siblings Shirley, deceased, and brother Harold. She attended primary and secondary school in Chicago, where she met her future husband, Maurice Myles. Delores graduated from the University of Illinois - Champagne Urbana, with a degree in physical education. Following graduation, she worked briefly for the Kodak company, before beginning a two-year teaching assignment at Howard University in Washington D.C. The couple wed in 1953, shortly before Maurice was drafted into the U.S. Army. As the wife of a military officer, Delores moved the household to Maryland, Germany, multiple times, Kansas and eventually Fort Sill, Okla. During that time they raised and nurtured four children. She was active in the Officers Wives Club, and together with Maurice, held positions in the Parent Teacher Association at Fort Sill to ensure their children received a strong education. A passionate educator, Delores re-entered the teaching field in 1970 when the family moved from Fort Sill into Lawton. She began teaching 8th grade science at Tomlinson Junior High, a position she cherished for 35 years. In addition to her teaching duties, she worked tirelessly for two associations representing teachers across Lawton. She earned a Master's degree in education from Southwestern State University and worked toward completion of a doctorate in education at the University of Oklahoma. In 2005, after leaving an indelible mark on countless local youth, Delores retired from the Lawton Public School system. In the late1960s, before returning to the teaching field, she enjoyed assisting Maurice with activities associated with Toastmasters, an international communication and leadership training organization. She joined Toastmasters in her own right once it opened its doors to women, eventually achieving the designation of Distinguished Toastmaster, denoting the highest level of skill, expertise and leadership. Delores became known statewide for her remarkable commitment and willingness to serve. She was a member of the local Satanta Toastmasters club, along with several other clubs in Duncan, Chickasha and Oklahoma City. During her many years as an active, dedicated Toastmaster, she held numerous leadership roles at the club level and served multiple times as an area governor. She twice served as District Governor. In 2009, along with her husband Maurice, she received the highest honor bestowed upon members worldwide -- a Presidential Citation -- during the annual International Toastmasters Conference. They were the very first couple in the history of the citation to receive the award as a couple, and were followed by couples from Australia and France. More recently, Delores became active in the National Association of Parliamentarians and the Comanche County Democratic party. Her hobbies included completing crossword and jigsaw puzzles and reading. Everyone familiar with Delores, knew her to be kind, and privately generous and compassionate to those in need. She touched the lives of thousands of people with her caring spirit and desire to educate and uplift Delores is survived by her husband Major Ret. Maurice Myles, and children, Mark, Oklahoma City; Yvonne, Houston, TX; Shirley, Tacoma, WA; and Timothy, Columbus, OH; five grandchildren, her brother Harold Pinkston; Kankakee, Ill; and her stepmother Isabella Pinkston, Chicago, Ill. Special viewing and public visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9., at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Services. The family wishes to acknowledge the medical professionals at Comanche County Memorial Hospital, especially the heroic and compassionate doctors and nurses who attended their beloved wife and mother in her last days. We also acknowledge the many concerned and caring friends who have given our family support. |
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