Lehman Ray Gaither

August 29, 1931 ~ November 19, 2018

© Palmer Marler Funeral Home
Reprinted with permission

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Lehman Ray Gaither a longtime Cushing resident, passed away on Monday, November 19, 2018 with his family by his side at the age of 87.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 23, 2018 at the Free Will Baptist Church, Cushing, OK. Interment will follow at Tryon Cemetery with Military Rites.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home.

Lehman was born on August 29, 1931 in Tryon, Oklahoma to the late James Lewis and Bessie Mae (Kelley) Gaither. He grew up in Tryon and attended a country school north of Tryon called Sandy Land School. He worked on a farm until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951 during the Korean Conflict and served his country on the Front Line of the war being assigned to Heartbreak Ridge, Pork Chop Hill, Old Baldy and Bloody Ridge. He returned to the states in Seattle, W.A. then by train to Ft. Sill, OK. where he served until he was honorably discharged in 1953. After that he served five years in the Army Reserve. He received his Korean Medal of Honor. Lehman worked in the oilfield for May’s Oil Co. and Harris Oil Co. in Cushing until he retired. Lehman married the love of his life Ilah Furbee on February 21, 1967 at the First Free Will Baptist Church by Rev. Wayne Bookout. They attended the Free Will Baptist Church and later the Bible Baptist Church in Stillwater. Lehman enjoyed gardening, raising a garden and giving away the fruits of his labor. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife to California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Pennsylvania and Florida. He was a lifetime member of the VFW, the American Legion and the Korean Gray Beard. Lehman enjoyed his buddies at the Army reunions, they were brothers to him.

Lehman is survived by his wife, Ilah of the home, son Donnie Lee Hicks and wife Diana of Ripley, brother Harold Gaither and wife Linda of Cushing, grandchildren Steven Ray Hicks, Lisa Hicks, Angela Dawn Hicks, William Oliver Hicks and wife, Amber, Suzanne Hicks, Allison Hicks, Candace Hicks, Michael Scott Hicks, 18 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Lehman is preceded in death by his parents, son William Michael Hicks, daughter Belinda Sue Hicks, great grandson Ryan Mitchell Hicks, brothers Olen Gaither, Alvin Gaither, Floyd Gaither, LeRoy Gaither, Wilmer Gaither and Wallace Gaither, sisters Florence Watts, Celia Mae Watts, Violet Brake and Ruby Box, infant sister Lorene Gaither.