LEON LANDRITH

ADA-Services for Leon J. "Skeeter" Landrith, 87, Ada, are 10:30 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church, Dr. Pat Kilby and Rev. John Haynes will officiate. Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery.

Mr. Landrith died Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at his home. He was born January 26, 1921 at Ada, Oklahoma to Ernest and Atha Blackburn Landrith. He lived here all of his life, attending various grade schools and graduated from Byng High School. He graduated from East Central University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and then a Masters degree in Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

He married Wanda Sales on January 14, 1943 in Ada. Mr. Landrith started his teaching career at Vamoosa where he taught only one semester before moving to Ada High School. He taught from 1948 to 1984 in the Ada School District, teaching elementary students, taught business at high school, was an administrator at both the junior high and high school, and loved his position as the golf coach at both levels where his teams won 5 State Championships. He earned the nominee for National High School Golf Coach of the Year in 1977. His love and dedication for Ada High School and the Cougars spans well past the four decades of his service. Even after his retirement, many mornings were spent visiting the administration building, his Friday nights were spent in his seat at Norris Field watching the Cougars or with a radio to his ear listening to whatever football or basketball game was out of town.

He was an active member of the First Baptist Church for 58 years and through the years worked many times with high school groups and served on many committees. He was a member of the Oklahoma Education Association and Pontotoc County Retired Teachers Association. He served five years in the U. S. Air Force during World War II.

Survivors include his wife Wanda Landrith, of the home; his son, Mark Landrith and wife Teresa, Edmond; three grandchildren, Lindsay Ratzlaff and husband Tyson, Tishomingo, Haley Landrith, Edmond, and Wyatt Landrith, Edmond; great grandson, Parks Ratzlaff, Tishomingo; brother, Paul Landrith and wife Charlotte, Ada; sisters, Omega Johnson and husband Doyle, Ada, and Ernestine Eubank, Ada; and a sister-in-law, Nova Landrith, Ada.

The family says those who wish may make memorials to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation for Heart Research, 825 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104-5097.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada