Bobby (Bob) Gene Stinchcomb, 93, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, passed away on March 9, 2024. He was born on September 13, 1930, in Yukon, Oklahoma. Bob was one of seven kids who were raised on a farm in northeast Oklahoma near the Oklahoma/Arkansas border. Bob learned valuable lessons of hard work while living on the farm. He was a hard worker and early riser his entire life.
Bob attended Carnes School, a mile from their farm on the Moseley Prairie, then attended Colcord School in Colcord, OK where he graduated in 1948. He pursued his higher education with a focus on electrical engineering at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Tahlequah, OK, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Denver, and the University of Tulsa.
Bob’s professional career in electrical engineering included employment at Douglas Aircraft, North American, and Gemco in Tulsa and Martin Marietta in Denver. He worked on the Apollo space program as well as flight simulation systems. In the 1970s, he became an entrepreneur and owned Cash Plumbing in Broken Arrow, Ok and then worked at Heatwave Supply in Tulsa where he retired in 1995.
Bob proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954 during the time of the Korean War. Shortly after his honorable discharge from the armed forces Bob met the love of his life, Alice Joan Lay, while they both attended NSU. They married in 1955 and were married for 68 ½ years. Shortly after marriage they moved to Norman, OK where Bob attended the University of Oklahoma. He had a job picking up stadium seat cushions after OU football games. He liked to tell the story of being in attendance the day that Notre Dame broke OU’s 47-game winning streak. He was a lifelong OU sports fan and particularly enjoyed watching OU softball in his later years.
Their first child, Regina Kay, was born in Norman in 1956. Their married life then took them back to Tulsa where their second child, Bobby Lee, was born in 1958. They then headed to Littleton, CO about 1960 where the last two of their children - Keri Lynne and Sheri Ann-- were born in 1963 and 1964, respectively. Bob and his family settled back in Tulsa in 1964. After raising their kids in Tulsa and retiring, Bob and Joan moved to Fort Gibson, Oklahoma in 1999.
When his children were young, Bob coached many sports teams and attended sporting and extracurricular activities in support of his kids. In his free time, Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, spending time with his kids and grandkids, and fixing anything and everything around the house. He found joy in these simple pleasures. Bob had a closely knit and large immediate and extended family and always loved the times he could visit with any of his family members. Upon retirement, Bob and Joan did some traveling which often included visiting their kids and grandkids living in other states. They were also active in church mission work and Bob volunteered as a board member at the Talbot Library and Museum in Colcord, OK for many years.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Alice Joan (Lay) Stinchcomb; his children Regina Kay Cruze (Wayne), Bobby Lee Stinchcomb (Niketa), Keri Lynne Parker, and Sheri Ann Sharp (George); 10 grandchildren: Jared (Karen) Williams, Zack (Audrey) Williams, Josh Williams, Ryan (Josie) Stinchcomb, Krystal (Stephen) Wiser, Kyle (Brittanie) Stinchcomb, Nathan (Jodie) Parker, Mikayla (Kan) Prawalwichit, Kate Sharp and Keri Sharp; 11 great-grandchildren: Sam, Nathan and Isaac Williams, Wyatt and Hunter Williams, Sarah and Logan Wiser, Ben and Abigail Stinchcomb, and Noah and Jett Parker; sister Mary Ruth (Stinchcomb) McCoy; sisters-in-law Ulele (Rouse) Stinchcomb, Hilda Stinchcomb, Linda (Perry) Stinchcomb, and Walsie (Lay) Fitzgerald; and brother-in-law CH (Patti) Lay. He is also survived by numerous other nephews and nieces.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Osie Mack and Mille Ruth (Garrett) Stinchcomb; granddaughter Jerri Lynn Williams; brother/sister-in-law Glenn and Ruby (Campbell) Stinchcomb; brothers Ray and Bud Stinchcomb; sisters Zona (Stinchcomb) Brenner and Joyce Ann Stinchcomb; In-laws Carmon H. and Ruby (Eaton) Lay; brother/sister-in-law Andrew and Edith (Lay) Jolliff; sister-in-law Donna (Lay) Mitchell; and brothers-in-law Jack McCoy and Bobby Fitzgerald.
The funeral service for Bobby Gene Stinchcomb was held at Fellowship Bible Church in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma on Friday March 15, 2024 at 10:30AM with Pastor Steve Dennis officiating. Bobby Stinchcomb, Jared Williams, Ryan Stinchcomb, Zachary Williams, Kyle Stinchcomb and Nathan Parker served as casket bearers. Immediately following the service, Bob was laid to rest, with military honors, at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma at 12:30PM.
His legacy of service, toughness, love for his large family, and great work ethic will forever be remembered by those who knew and loved him.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Talbot Library and Museum, PO Box 349, Colcord, OK 74338 or www.talbotlibrary.org.
The family of Bob Stinchcomb has entrusted his care, service and burial to Clifford D Garrett Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Fort Gibson, 918-478-2555.
(You can view the online obituary at Clifford D. Garrett Family Funeral Home.)
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