William S. Dillsaver

William S. Dillsaver died October 31, 2008. He was born August 24, 1915, in the Prarie Bell community Southeast of Okmulgee to Missouri Fisher Lowe and William M. Dillsaver.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of almost 70 years, Pauline, his parents, and two brothers; Orville Dean and Robert Lowe Dillsaver.

He leaves behind two daughters, JoAnn and Dolores Dillsaver of the home and several nieces and nephews.

He graduated from Morris High School in 1933 and attended business college and junior college in Okmulgee.

In August 1937 he went to work at the Lockhart Cotton Gin, which later sold to the Vernon Cotton Company. He worked as manager for Mr. I. J. Vernon and together they started a feed company. When cotton ceased to be raised in eastern Oklahoma, the businesses were merged into the Dillsaver-Vernon Feed Company. This company was operated as such until Bill retired in 1984.

On November 5, 1939, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Pauline Ludwick, of Morris, Oklahoma. They built, with the help of family and neighbors, a home in the Prarie Bell area and enjoyed a rural life for many years before moving to Okmulgee.

When the Okmulgee Creek Conservancy District No. 1 was formed in 1959, Bill was appointed one of the directors of the board and served until February 2008. Because of the work of this board, two retention dams were built as part of a flood control project to prevent Okmulgee Creek from flooding portions of the city.

His appreciation of agriculture and the farming community led him to serve twenty years on the Okmulgee County Conservation District Board. During that time he was appointed by Governor Nigh to the Solid Waste Management Committee for several years.

Bill was proud of and interested in his community. He was on the board of directors of the Merchant’s Association and the Chamber of Commerce. He was also on the board of the First National Bank of Okmulgee for seventeen years and a member of the board of trustees of the First Methodist Church of Okmulgee.

After retirement he and Pauline enjoyed traveling, playing bridge and visiting with friends and family.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 from 12-8 P.M. at the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home. Funeral services will be on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 2:00 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Okmulgee with Reverend Craig Denslow officiating. Interment will be in the Okmulgee Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee. Online condolences may be made at mcclendon-winters.com