Earl Allbritton

Earl Allbritton

Earl Allbritton was born on July 8, 1936 in Tullos, Louisiana to Jesse Burl and Pearl [Doyle] Allbritton. He died on September 20, 2012 in Lawton, Oklahoma surrounded by friends and family at the age of 76.

Earl grew up in Tullos, LA and attended LaSalle High School. He worked in a tire shop while in school and enlisted in the army July, 1955. After completing basic training at Camp Chaffee, AR, Earl was stationed at Redstone Arsenal, AL, Ft Bliss, TX, and then Vicenza, Italy where he began his career in food services. Prior to his retirement from the military, Earl served at duty stations in New Orleans, LA, Monterey, CA, Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and finally at Ft Sill where he served as the food service supervisor at Reynolds Army Hospital. While serving in the military, Earl received numerous decorations including the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with OLC, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Vietnam Honor Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and many Letters of Achievement.

After leaving the military, Earl worked in sales at Charlie Wade Oldsmobile and Howard Smith Ford while he attended Cameron Collage and Great Plains Area Vocational School where he received certification in engine repair, automatic transmissions and air conditioning. Earl was employed at Job Corps briefly, but soon returned to Ft Sill where he worked at the RACH dining facility as their civil service supervisor.

He married Billie Fiock on November 30, 1996 in Lawton, and retired in 1998 to enjoy the rest of his life doing the things he enjoyed most, spending time with his family (especially his grandchildren), being with friends and traveling.

Earl was a member of First Baptist West where he loved serving the Lord. He was a 32nd degree Mason, member of the Mystic Shrine, and Life Member of The Knights Templar Eye Foundation as well as the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 751 in Lawton. Earl also spent a great amount of time serving his community as a volunteer, donating his time and efforts at the Heart and Vascular Center and the Cancer Center at Memorial Hospital as well as working with Insurge Care for 11 years. He was an active member of the Lawton Antique Auto Club for over 12 years and served as secretary for 8 of those years. During those years, Earl and Billie developed many close friendships, and thoroughly enjoyed numerous trips to different parts of Oklahoma in their 1930 Model A Ford or 1940 Deluxe Ford. Earl loved his cars, and was especially fond of the friendships they helped him develop at his Saturday morning meetings with Dr. Rob Kern, Dr. J.D. Duncan and several other car enthusiasts at Atlanta Bread Factory.

Earl's survivors include his wife, Billie Ruth Allbritton of the home; 6 daughters, Kathy Allbritton of Lawton, Cindy Skelton and husband Eddie of Yukon, OK, Sheila Walbrick and husband Jack of Lawton, Sandra Freeman and husband Dale of Grandview, TX, Krystal Deak & Ken Bowen, and Sabrina Schilling, all of Lawton; a son, Ronald Fiock and wife Crystal of Lawton; grandchildren, George Day and wife Jenny of SC, Tiffany Norris of Oklahoma City, David Skelton and wife Sarah of FL, John Skelton of Oklahoma City, Rachel and Alan Freeman of Grandview, TX, Kyle and wife Brittain Walbrick, Blake Bowen and Shelby Bowen, Julia Schaller, Seth Schilling, and Deven Schilling, all of Lawton; great grandchildren, Lillian Day and Charles Day of SC, and Emmit Skelton and Ian Skelton, both in FL; sisters, Bettye Jo Sandifer of Jena, LA, and Pearl La Cour and husband Lester of Bossier City, LA; father and mother in law, James and Mary Via of Lawton; sisters in law, Sylvia Carver and husband Larry in Lawton, and Sheila Lippert and husband Dale of Keller, TX; a brother in law, James Via in Chicago, IL, and numerous very special nieces and nephews in Louisiana and Texas. Earl was blessed with many close friends, including 4 very special friends who sat by his bed on almost a daily basis, Stan Booker, Doug Snook, Jo Joiner Sr, and Ural Rogers. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Pearl Allbritton; 4 sisters, Ethel Shankles, Edith Blackshear, Jessie Lou McCarty and Nelda Allbritton; brothers, Leonard and Gilbert Allbritton; and a grandson, Charles Skelton.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made in Earl's name to the First Baptist West Building Fund or the Spirit of Survival at Comanche County Memorial Hospital.

Memorials:
Spirit of Survival at Comanche County Memorial Hospital

Visitation:
10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Whinery-Huddleston Funeral Service 6210 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505

1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday, September 24, 2012
Service: 2:00 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at First Baptist West 7302 NW Cache Rd Lawton OK 73505

Cemetery:
Sunset Memorial Gardens 8900 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505