C. Bernard Rabbitt

A service celebrating the life of C. Bernard Rabbitt, Jr., 77, will be held at 2 P.M., Thursday, November 15 at the First United Methodist Church. Bernard passed away Saturday, November 10 after a brief battle with lung cancer. Bernard was born March 1, 1930 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Clarence B. and Lillian (Scott) Rabbitt. Reared in Okmulgee, he graduated from Okmulgee High School with the Class of 1948. Following graduation, he served one year in the United States Marine Corp. He was attending the University of Oklahoma when he was called back into the Marine Corp., serving two years during the Korean Conflict with the 1^st Division, 7^th Marines. He attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa, and earned an Associate Degree in Industrial Electronics from OSU Tech. As a youth he was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He was the youngest person in Oklahoma to attain this rank at that time. On March 2, 1956 he married Marilyn J. Shelton of Okmulgee. To this union were born two children: Kay Lynn and E. Bernard. In 1964, Bernard accepted employment as an oil field representative with East Central Electric Cooperative in Okmulgee. In 1971, he was transferred to Muskogee to open and manage East Central’s Muskogee district office. He remained in that position until 1977 when he was promoted to director of member services. Bernard managed East Central’s Member Services and Marketing Department until his retirement in 1993. While employed with East Central Electric he served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC) Member Relations/Public Relations Association and was the first inductee into the OAEC Member Relations/Public Relations and Marketing Association Hall of Fame. Bernard is a member of the Masonic Lodge 199, is a 32^nd Degree Mason, a member of the Scottish Rite and the York Rite. He is also a member of Okmulgee County Chapter of the Bedouin Shrine, the American Legion White-Williams Post, the Okmulgee Golf Club and a life-long, active member of the First United Methodist Church. Bernard is survived by a loving family which consists of Marilyn, his wife of 51 years, of the home, daughter Kay Lynn Rabbitt-Brower, and husband Lee of Cleveland, Oklahoma, son E. Bernard, and wife Kim, of Noble, Oklahoma; five grandchildren, Amanda Brower of Cleveland, Deavon Jester of Noble, W. Bernard and Brandon Rabbitt of Noble and Stacy Cheney and husband Josh, of Morris; one brother, Scott, and wife Donna of Broken Arrow, one great-grandchild, Rylan Jester of Noble, several nieces and nephews, and his little dog Tucker, whom he called his very best friend. Pallbearers include E. Bernard Rabbitt, Scott Rabbitt, Ralph Sprouse, Bob Terrell, Bill Holcomb, Deavon Jester, and W. Bernard Rabbitt. Honorary pallbearers are members of Masonic Lodge 199 and the Okmulgee County Shriners. Funeral services are under the direction of McClendon-Winters Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, with the family greeting friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. The family requests memorials to the First United Methodist Church in Bernard’s name. Condolences may be made at mcclendon-winters.com