ORVAL BRUSTER

ROFF-Services for Orval Ray Bruster, 83, Roff, are 2:00 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church, Ada, Revs. Tony Folger, Shawn Priddy, and Albert May will officiate. Burial will follow at East Hill Cemetery. Tinker Honor Guard will conduct military honors at the cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday at the Criswell Funeral Home.

Mr. Bruster died Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at his home. He was born July 27, 1924 at Madill, Oklahoma to Lonnie Floyd and Winnie Shook Bruster. He was reared by his step-mother, Ada Bell Bruster and his aunt, Virgie Mae Bruster. He attended elementary schools in Johnston and Marshall counties until 1941 and high school in Loveland, Oklahoma until 1942. He then went to Richmond, California, where he worked as a welder in the shipyards until he joined the U. S. Navy in 1943. He served in the South Pacific aboard the aircraft carrier CVE38 U.S.S. Shangrila until the end of World War II. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Madill where he attended Murray State College and received an Associate degree in Science in 1948.

He married Alice Frances Coleman on July 3, 1948 at Madill, Oklahoma. He taught Veterans agriculture in Pauls Valley from June, 1948, until February, 1951 when he returned to college at Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater. He received a bachelor's degree in agriculture education from A & M in August, 1952, graduating with honors. He was also enrolled in Reserve Officers Training. Upon graduation, he received a Second Lieutenants commission in the U. S. Army. He taught Vocational Agriculture in Portales, New Mexico, Rattan, Atwood, Roff and Sasakwa. He retired from Sasakwa in 1983 after teaching for 34 years.

He received a Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1974 from East Central University in Ada. Mr. Bruster also attended college in Wilburton, Chickasha, Galludett, Washington, D. C., and Durant.

He remained in the military reserve for many years, serving in both the Army and the Air Force. He retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1984 as a major.

Mr. Bruster was a member of the Ada Retired Teachers Association, Oklahoma Education Association, American Legion and he was a 32nd degree Mason. He served on the Roff city counsel and was one time a mayor of Roff.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Roff for more than 40 years where he served as a deacon and Sunday school Superintendent.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Bruster, of the home; two daughters, Pat Morgan and husband Jim, Roff, and Kathy Wellington and husband Rodd, Ada; one son, Ray Bruster and wife Melanie, Ardmore; two sisters, Mona Lee Brock, and Barbara Robinson, Midwest City; two brothers, Clarence Bruster and wife Lorene, Midwest City, and Ray Bruster and wife Sharlene, Collinsville; seven grandchildren, Amanda Parnell and husband Jamie, Roff, Alicson Scott and husband Jason, Roff, Jimmy Morgan and wife Rebekah, Roff, Parker Wellington and wife Kailey, Ada, Katie Wellington, Ada, Matthew Bruster, Ardmore, Kaitlin Bruster, Ardmore; and two great grandchildren, Coleton Parnell, Roff, and Keela Scott, Roff.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruth McPhearson and Sue Causey, and a brother, Tommie Bruster.

Bearers will be Dane Morris, Freddie Manous, Gary Jackson, Lonnie Britt, Mike Wilkerson, Raymond Persinger, and Gary Cooper. Honorary bearers will be all of Mr. Bruster's former students.

The family says those who wish may make memorials to the Roff First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 235, Roff, Oklahoma 74865.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada