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Jimmie Ray Abel was born June 4, 1938, to R.C. and Katie Abel in Enid, OK. He later was adopted as Paul William Southwick by Hugh and Violett Southwick of Garber, OK.
He died of natural causes on February 19, 2023.
Active in Boy Scouts, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, God and Country Award, and spent several summers attending and working at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M.
While attending Garber Public Schools, he earned All-State Honors in football and graduated in 1956 with a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma.
He married the love of his life, Donita Janet Evers, on August 17, 1957, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Breckenridge, OK. They were married for 65 beautiful years.
Paul graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor's Degree in Zoology. He then went on to earn a Master's Degree in Biology from Kansas State College in Emporia, KS, and a Master's in Natural Sciences from Southwestern State University. In addition, he completed his counseling certification from Phillips University. Several summers he attended various courses in the science fields, continuing his love of learning. These courses were all sponsored by the National Science Foundation. He wrote and taught the first Outdoor Environmental Education class approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. His love of Science and search for all knowledge continued until his death.
In 1974, he was selected for the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Oklahoma by the National Science Foundation.
In 1991, he earned the Northwest Oklahoma Football Coach of the Year.
He taught Science for 35 years at Calumet, Fargo, Keyes, with the majority of his years being at Guymon High School and Garber High School. In Garber, he served as guidance counselor for 12 years.
For many years, while in Guymon, Paul was a Park Ranger Naturalist for the National Park Service at Capulin Monument in New Mexico.
Paul was preceded in death by both sets of parents and brothers Jim Savage, Bob Southwick, and Bobby Wycoff.
He is survived by his loving wife, Donita Southwick of Nowata, Oklahoma, and their three children: Cindee Roberts and husband Greg of Emerald Isle, North Carolina, Paul D. Southwick and wife Michelle of Garber, Oklahoma, Shawn-paul Southwick and wife Cheron of Nowata, Oklahoma; fourteen grandchildren: Erik (Krista), Scott, Kris (Dana), Jessica (Julio), Malarie, Jared, Garrett (Katy), Danielle, Baylor, Loren (Josh), Katie, Annie, Corder, and Gracie; six great-grandchildren: Wyatt, William, Patrick, Hudson, Aubrie, and Jimi Rey; sisters: Roberta, Rozella, Karen; and several stepsiblings.
A strongly spiritual man in his faith in God, Paul also believed in the power of education, natural law, scientific principles, and the natural world. He enjoyed the arts, especially music, and was an advocate for human rights and equality. Above all, family was his heart and soul, his purpose, especially his adoring wife Donita.
For memorial purposes, it was Paul's wish to have donations made in his
name to any of the following charities: St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF),
Save the Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children.
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