Randy Maples

Randy Maples

A Celebration of Life for Randy Maples, 63, will be held at Lawton First Assembly of God at 12:00 pm Thursday, December 13, 2012. Burial will be at Cache Cemetery under the direction of Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Home. The service will be conducted by Chaplin Jessie Forrest with Special Judge Ken Harris providing the eulogy. A Reception for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 6:00 PM -8:00 PM at the funeral home.

On December 9, 2012, Randy was surrounded by family when he took his last breath in his temporary home on earth and Heaven opened the gates to gain the most precious angel ever.

Randy was born 08-05-49 in Lawton to Alfred and Paula Maples.

He attended Wilson Elementary, Tomlinson Junior High, and Lawton High School, graduating in 1967.

He served in the 173rd Airborne Division in Vietnam from 04-15-68 to 04-14-69, earning prestigious awards such as Purple Heart with Clusters, Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Metal with 60 Device, Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal with Device, National Defense Service Metal, Parachute Badge and Vietnam Service Medal. He lost many friends during the war and held the memory of the loss of one close friend, Lonnie Moran, in a particular battle for a lifetime.

When he got out of the military, he worked for a contractor on Ft. Sill and was later a concrete finisher for Alfred Espinoza before being hired on the Lawton Police Department in 1974. He spent the majority of his police career in the Criminal Investigative Division. In 1993, he received the Supervisor of the Year award. The commendation stated, "no matter who calls upon him for guidance or advice, be it a patrol officer, detective, or fellow supervisor, Lieutenant Maples is willing to help. The attribute that sets Lieutenant Maples apart from the rest, is his ability to walk the fine line between supervisor and fellow police officer." He retired as a Lieutenant in 1999.

After retiring from the Lawton Police Department he and a fellow co-worker, Mike McCallick, opened a used car lot. He did that for three years and then started doing background checks on military personnel for a government contractor. He has been the court baliff for Judge Ken Harris and a friend to many at the Comanche County District Court for almost eight years. While working in various law enforcement fields, the thing he enjoyed the most was being able to interact with others. He unselfishly shared his time, knowledge and ability with others he mentored. He had the natural ability to always display humor and bring a smile to the face of others. He would always wake up, popping off jokes. His motto was "You have all day to become upset, why wake up that way?!" Randy never met a stranger. Once you were a friend, you were a lifetime friend.

Randy had two children, Tera and Clint, during his first marriage. He later married his best friend, Jody Maples, on 03-22-86. They then raised Clint and their daughter, Heather. Randy was completely devoted to his family. He coached his son's little league basketball team, winning the city championship one year. He traveled all over the state, Texas and Colorado with his daughter's softball teams. When he wasn't busy with his children's activities, his hobbies were reading western books, listening to country music, cooking, having gatherings at his house, pulling pranks on others, fishing, fishing and more fishing. He and his wife had also spent most Fridays or Saturdays throughout the years, playing card games with his parents when his dad was still alive. He was his children's and wife's biggest fan! His wife and children said he was not just a husband and father, he was their best friend.

He was survived by his wife of the home, Jody Maples; son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, Clint and Kaci Maples, Ethan and Erin, of Yukon; daughter Tera Maples of Kentucky; daughter of the home, Heather Maples; mother, Paula Maples of Lawton; brother and companion, Geary Maples and Laurie Roznovsky of Houston, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Sherry and Tom Burton of Scottsdale, Arizona; sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and Bobby Lathe of Lawton; nephew, spouse and great-niece, Jacob, Megan and Emma Burton of Camp LeJeune, NC; niece and spouse, Rachel and John Economides of Scottsdale, AZ; nephew, Joshua Lathe of Oklahoma City; nephew, spouse and children, Geran, Kim, Skylar and Caleb Maples of Jeanerette, LA; nephew, spouse and children, Trace, Corrine, Brayden and Kaisa of Plano, TX; niece and nephew, Krysta and Trey Roznovsky of Houston, TX; uncle and spouse, Ralph and Sue York of Lawton; cousins, Mike York of Indiahoma and Nancy Klein of Tennesse; Terri Lou McCracken of Lawton, Debra Dowling of Moore and Lynda McCracken of Lawton.

He was preceded in death by his friend and father, Alfred Maples.

Visitation: 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday, December 10, 2012 at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Service 6210 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505

10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Service 6210 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505

10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Service 6210 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505

Reception with family present 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Service:
12:00 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012

Cemetery:
Cache Cemetery Cache OK 73527