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Otis Lloyd Haltom © Enid Morning News 11-1999 Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
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The funeral for Otis Lloyd "Odie" Haltom, 90, will be 10 AM Monday at Henninger – Allen Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. W. C. "Bill" Smith officiating. Burial will follow at 2:30 PM in Alva Municipal Cemetery.
He was born April 11, 1909, near Hopeton to J. N. W. and Mattie E. Cameron Haltom and died Thursday, November 4, 1999, at Highland Park Manor in Enid.
He attended Mid Valley grade school and Alva high school. He also attended Northwestern State University where he played football and basketball. He taught school for two terms at Mid Valley and farmed with his father. He married Ruby O. Davis in Alva on June 1, 1936.
He was accepted to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy and graduated in 1937. He served in Ardmore, Durant, Ada and Oklahoma City and was promoted to supervisor. In 1944, he enlisted in the Navy and served two years in World War II. After returning from the service, he was assigned to Woodward and then returned to Oklahoma City as troop supervisor.
In 1949, he transferred to Enid District 6, now known as Troop J. He was promoted to troop commander of the district. He was instrumental in getting radio communication set up in all 14 counties in the district and also helped get a patrol headquarters in Guymon.
He retired from the patrol in 1979, after serving 41 years. In 1984, the new Enid headquarters once dedicated in his honor.
He is survived by one daughter, Alicia Maddox of Enid; one son, J. Hoyle of Muskogee; seven grandchildren; and nine great – grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, six brothers and three sisters.
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By Scott Fitzgerald
News & Eagle Staff
The late Otis Lloyd "Odie" Haltom was described "trooper's trooper," meaning he did it all during a distinguished career with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Haltom died Thursday morning in Highland Park Manor. He was 90.
"He was a good officer. Everyone liked him. He was real fair. He'd cast his eyes on you for five minutes and then go have a cup of coffee with you," said retired OHP trooper Don Ingold of Enid.
Haltom spent most of his OHP career in Northwest Oklahoma and Enid Troop J headquarters at 5725 W. Garriott was dedicated in his honor upon building completion in 1984.
At the time of his death, Haltom was the last living graduate of the first OHP Academy class of 1937.
After earning a supervisors rank with the OHP, he enlisted in 1944 with the Navy and served two years in World War II at San Diego training center, where he was a firearm and communications instructor.
July 1, 1949, Haltom was transferred to Enid District 6, which is now Troop J. He eventually became Troop Commander for a district that encompassed 14 counties.
It wasn't unusual for Haltom to be gone for a few days from Enid, assisting in patrolling remote locations in the state's panhandle, Ingold said.
"Our only radio was strapped to a bamboo pole that received commercial radio station signals. This is back when technology was very young," Ingold said.
Haltom earned the respect of his troopers young and old. He stressed safety education presentations in the schools.
Former Garfield County Sheriff Bill Addington call Haltom a "trooper's trooper," saying everyone liked him and that he always would come into the courthouse to speak with County law enforcement officials.
Haltom had a passion for sports. He worked traffic assignments at both high school in nearby college football games. During his later years, it wasn't unusual to see Haltom at Plainsman football or American Legion baseball games.
The funeral will be 10 AM Monday in Henninger – Allen Funeral Home with the Rev. W. C. "Bill" Smith officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 PM in Alva Municipal Cemetery.
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