Asa Everett "A. E." Streight Jr. passed away on October 21, 2005 at the age of 83 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Known as "Ace" throughout the community, A.E. was born on October 1, 1922 in Okmulgee to parents Asa and Mazzie Streight. He spent his childhood mostly in Okmulgee although the family lived in other Oklahoma towns such as Konawa, Wewoka, Ada, and Duncan where he wrestled and played football. A.E. joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard at the ripe old age of 14 in Duncan and joined the Navy while enrolled as a senior at Okmulgee High School. On December 7, 1941, A.E. was aboard the USS Nevada during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a 14" gunner and manned his station while the legendary Nevada became the only battleship to get underway during the attack although it beached before reaching open waters. He would later serve on an escort ship in the Mediterranean during the North African Campaign and was aboard a supply ship in the Pacific when the Japanese surrendered placing him in three key strategic events of World War II.

A.E. married Norma Ruth Ingle on February 10, 1951 and they were married for 54 years until her untimely passing in April of 2005. They raised 3 sons and a daughter in Okmulgee. A.E. worked for over 25 years at American St. Gobain and also worked at Unit Rig in Tulsa after ASG closed. He was a fixture at the baseball diamonds where he coached the CIO baseball team in the 13-14 year old league for four years winning the league title each year. A pool player’s pool player, he was also a fixture at Okmulgee’s pool halls in the late 1940’s regarded by many (particularly those who played against him) as the best pool player in town.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his wife Norma, and one brother, Charlie Streight. He is survived by three sons and one daughter, Randall and Cathy Streight and their son William Streight of Tulsa; Dr. Robert and Debra Streight of Tulsa and their children Katy Streight of Tulsa, Ashley Streight of Norman, and Ryan Streight of Oklahoma City; Dr. Ricky and Sherri Streight of Terre Haute, Indiana and their children Rylee Streight and Ricky Streight Jr. of Terre Haute, Keelan Allen and Rantz Allen of Shawnee, and Brandy Ipock of Shawnee; and Carol Svendgard of Okmulgee and her son Michael and Kris Svendgard of Fort Smith, Arkansas and their children Jennifer and Ben Colwill of Okmulgee, Jared Asa Svendgard of Okmulgee, and Caiti, Jordan, Kristoffer, and Jaden Svendgard of Fort Smith.

He is also survived by two sisters, Mourene Jackson of Broken Bow and Nancy Miller of Roanoke, Virginia; one brother Kenneth and Doris Streight of Florida; sisters-in-law Margaret Fowler of Okmulgee, Pauline Rogez of Henryetta, and Jan Streight of San Antonio; and brother-in-law Leon Ingle of Houston.

"On the morning of December 7, I was in living quarters when a mess cook ran in and said the Japs were bombing Ford Island. I looked out of a porthole and saw a building on Ford Island in flames. By the time I reached topside, the planes hitting Ford Island began to move on Battleship Row. The Nevada got underway in a very short time while being torpedoed, bombed, and strafed. The Nevada was hit again by a dive-bomber and intentionally beached so it would not block the channel." Anchors aweigh Ace. Pallbearers will be family members. Honorary pallbearers are his many coworkers and friends from the glass plant and around Okmulgee. Services are Tuesday at 10:00 am at the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in the Westlawn Cemetery. Friends may visit the funeral home Monday from 9-8.