Services for Willard Lee Sliger, 91, of the Owl Creek Community are 2:00 p.m. Thursday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Revs. Billy Nichol and Clive Jared will officiate. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery, Stonewall.
Mr. Sliger passed away Monday, July 2, 2018 at his home. He was born August 23, 1926 in Lovelady, OK to Robert Andrew and Sarah Roshie (Roberts) Sliger, who had moved from Roberts Switch, TN to Oklahoma before Willard was born. Willard was the sixth child, the second son. He attended school at Lovelady, Black Rock and Owl Creek, where he graduated from the eighth grade, and Stonewall. He received Jesus Christ as his Savior following a sermon by a visiting Methodist preacher; the message didnt move him much at the time, but he and his sister, Edith went down to the creek later, and the Holy Spirit showed him that message was for him, so he gave his heart to the Lord. For the rest of his life he was quick to talk about the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord.
Willard Sliger was a leader of men. He was drafted into the army at the beginning of the Korean Conflict, but was honorably discharged after one year, because President Truman had signed a law stating that draftees could muster out after serving one year, if they agreed to serve six years in the Active Reserves. His girlfriend, Iva Lois Bennett, had written him a letter saying, The Lord has showed me that youll be home for Christmas, to which his reply was, This old gal has done lost her marbles, because his unit was packed and ready to ship out to join the action, but she was right! After one year of active service, Willard Sliger was discharged from the United States Army with the rank of sergeant, a true indication of his leadership ability. He married Iva Lois shortly after getting home, on January 4, 1950, a true indication of his good sense. He was always happy to tell about his training on the anti-aircraft guns at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas, where he was the one who set the fuse on the projectiles so they would explode exactly when they were supposed to do so.
Willard worked at various jobs and then settled in at Trader Mills for seven years. During that time, the employees of Trader Mills established a union, and Willard was elected by the hands as one of their two leaders and spokesman. This was another indication that he was viewed by the people he worked with as a leader of men.
After Trader Mills, Willard went to work for Pontotoc County, District 3. When the road foreman retired, the County Commissioner selected Willard to become foreman, and all the hands agreed that he should be in that position. He served in that position of leadership for the rest of his career, under three successive commissioners. He retired at the age of 59 and enjoyed 32 years of retirement working on his own ranch in Owl Creek, where he raised cross-bred beef cattle and very fine registered Appaloosa horses with the help of his beloved Massey-Ferguson TO-35 tractor. He was proud of having made a good hand everywhere he worked, and of working hard on his own ranch.
Willard was proud to have lived in Pontotoc County for his entire life, and most of that time he attended and provided leadership in the Owl Creek Church where he was an Elder and the Sunday School Superintendent for several decades. Willard and Iva Lois had two daughters, Judy Lee and Annette Lin, and raised them in Owl Creek. He was always available to help his brothers, sisters, and neighbors; he was especially proud to be able to give squash and pears to anyone who wanted them.
Willard was preceded in death by his parents; one son-in-law, Michael Duane Welch; two brothers, JB Sliger and Robert Andrew Tall Boy Sliger; and five sisters, Alvilda Lewatha Sliger, Avana Irene Hobbs, Vera Bell Deaton, Firn Marie Nickell and Verlie Gladys Flowers.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Iva Lois, of the home; and two daughters and one son-in-law: Judy Lee and Dr. Benjamin R. Husted of Prague, OK and Annette Lin Welch of Owl Creek; by four granddaughters, Crystal DeAnn (Welch) Ahrend and husband Matt Ahrend, Carrie Beth (Welch) ODell and husband Jeff ODell, Joy Lin (Husted) Hall and husband Brant Hall, and Rebekah Ann (Husted) Lynam and husband Dr. Matt Lynam; one grandson, John Benjamin Husted and wife Missy Husted; and three great-grandsons: Nate Ahrend, Levi Ahrend and Grayson ODell. He is also survived by three sisters: Edith Elizabeth Flowers of Owl Creek, Doris Jane Hatfield of Ada and Deloris June McCauley of Fort Worth, TX; and one brother, Royce Scott Sliger of Owl Creek.
Active and honorary pallbearers are Willards nephews.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada
