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George Wendell Cathey died October 15, 2013. He was born December 1, 1938 in Durant, Oklahoma. His parents were Neal N. Cathey and Vashti Barnes Cathey. His early years were spent in Durant and after the death of his father, when he was 9 years old, he moved with his mother and brother to Oklahoma City. He graduated from Classen High School in 1957 where he played football and ran track. He married Juliet Capps in Tallahassee, Florida in 1964. Survivors include; wife, Juliet Cathey, daughter, Rachel Boone and husband Billy, son David Cathey and wife Amy, granddaughter Shasta Rencher and husband Ricky, grandson Barrett Boone, and dearest friend and companion Connie Hestily, brother, David N. Cathey, sisters-in-law Patricia Savage and husband Larry, Brenda King and husband John, brothers-in-law Johnny Capps and wife Karen, Roger Capps and wife Tami and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Neal N. Cathey and Vashti Barnes Harper.
He attended Kemper Military School and Junior College where he earned letters in football and track. He received his undergraduate degree and juris doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma and was admitted to practice law in Oklahoma in 1967 and before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1976. Memberships and services include Oklahoma Bar Association, American Bar Association, Oklahoma Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Advisory Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, Fellow of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, Phi Lambda Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, 32nd degree Mason, Little Dixie Shrine Club, NRA, and First Baptist Church, Durant, Oklahoma.
He was appointed to serve by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma as a Judge of the Court of Appeals Temporary Division 172 in 1982. He taught business law at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and actively practiced law as a trial lawyer for more than 46 years. During his practice of the law he represented people in civil and criminal cases. He represented many people charged as defendants who were indigent. He represented people from all walks of life, including 5 death penalty cases, none ever receiving the death penalty. During the years of his practice he represented several water districts, appeals before the Supreme Court of the United States, Supreme Court of Oklahoma, Court of Appeals State of Oklahoma, appearing before the Corporation Commission and other state boards.
When his children were young he was active in little league as a coach and commissioner of local football and basketball leagues, coaching his daughter in basketball and son in basketball, football, and baseball. He took his daughter and son hunting, camping, snow skiing, sailing Lake Texoma, floating the Mountain Fork and Rio Grande Rivers. At one time when he lived in the country he raised cattle and rode a horse every day.
He liked horse racing and started going to the horse races in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1954 and continued for more than 50 years. He saw Legends like Lil E. Tee ridden by Pat Day and he saw Smarty Jones race. He also went to the races at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. for the Jim Dandy and attended the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.
He walked Augusta National twice and he saw the OU Sooners win the National Championship in Miami in 2001. Through the years he saw many big O.U. football games, including a win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and FSU in Tallahassee, Florida.
He was a scuba diver, learned to fly when he was 59 years old, played golf at the Old Course and at Carnoustie in Scotland.
He enjoyed life to the fullest and he had a great life. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, Durant, Oklahoma or a charity of your choice.
Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at the First Baptist Church in Durant at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. James Robinson to officiate the service.
Family hour will be held on Friday, October 18, 2013 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Brown's Funeral Service.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brown's Funeral Service in Durant, Oklahoma. Condolences can be sent to www.brownsfuneralservice.com.
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