John L. Proctor
Bishop Funeral Home
March 31, 2015
Submitted by: Carol Spear Rice
John L. Proctor, Jr, 88, of McAlester, died Saturday, March 28, 2015 at McAlester Regional Health Center. The family will receive visitors from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at Bishop Funeral Service. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 at the First Presbyterian Church of McAlester with Rev. Bill Westmoreland officiating. Interment will be in the Masonic Section of Oak Hill Cemetery. Service arrangements are under the direction of Bishop Funeral Service. John was born April 7, 1926 in Atoka to John Leonard Proctor, Sr. and Ruth Marie (Green) Proctor. He was raised on a farm near Atoka and attended public schools there. He began working for the Public Service Company of Oklahomas ice company at the age of sixteen delivering blocks of ice to area residents. At 17, John joined the United States Navy. Following six weeks of training, John embarked on the battleship U.S.S. Colorado where he served his country during World War II, and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. Upon returning home, John completed high school in Atoka. He married Mozelle Hill on June 9, 1948 in Whitesboro, Texas. The couple established their home in Atoka where John began a long career with the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) as a lineman. and later District Engineer for the company. John and Mozelle relocated to McAlester in 1952 where they became very involved in the community. In December of 1992, John elected to retire from PSO with nearly 50 years of service. Retirement opened up a new pastime for John. After completing a Master Gardening course, he purchased acreage outside of town, and began growing a crop of fresh produce. John was extremely successful at this venture and supplied area restaurants with fresh produce, as well as sold his crop at the local farmers market. John was Past President of the McAlester Optimist Club, a member of the South McAlester Masonic Lodge #96, and a thirty-third degree Scottish Rite Mason of McAlester where he served as Past President of the Building Company and engineered the exterior lighting of the McAlester Scottish Rite Temple. He was also an elder and member of the First Presbyterian Church of McAlester since 1952. John is survived by his wife: Mozelle (Hill) Proctor of the home; son: Randall Proctor and wife, Eugenia of McAlester; daughter: Janell (Proctor) Kaufhardt and husband, Franz of Salem, Oregon; sister: Frances J. Proctor of McAlester. Also, grandchildren: Trevor Matthews of San Jose, California, Jennifer Ducharme of Chugiak, Alaska, Lindsay Ducharme of Anchorage, Alaska, B.J. Willson of McAlester, Colby Willson of McAlester, Paysann and Naleigh of McAlester; six great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; six nephews; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents: John Leonard Proctor, Sr. and Ruth Marie (Green) Proctor; his brother: Stephen Proctor, and sisters: Doris Jacobson and Sue Thomas. Pallbearers will be Bob Burden, Paul Volturo, Jim Thompson, Dr. Doug Auld, Trevor Matthews, and Jerry Grubbs. Honorary pallbearers will be John Burks, Tom Crowl, George Lampton, Dr. Bob Bartheld, John ONeal, Leslie Smith, Bruce Hall, Lance Woodliff, Tony Drizzness, and Don Hackler.
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