Bill Deas

DEAS, William was born June 18, 1923 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland to William and Ruth McCormick Deas. He died in Tulsa, OK on Wednesday, August 15, 2017. When he was an infant, his father, William left Scotland with his brothers, John and Lewis and sister Jean to come to America. Working for Ford Motor Co. in Detroit, MI in the 1920's, he earned and saved enough money to send for his wife, Ruth and little sons, John and Bill. Life was good in Michigan, where baby sister was born. They named her Jean. Ruth took the children back to Scotland to visit her Scottish family and was surprised when immigration laws prevented them from returning to the USA for five years. When the depression started and jobs were lost, Bill's family traveled to Oklahoma where his dad worked in an Oil Refinery. They were living in Sand Springs with Uncle John's family when Bill's father was killed in a refinery accident. Hard times for all. The three children were in Sand Springs schools and Bill began helping John and their mother support the family with the jobs boys could do then. He delivered newspapers, washed dishes under a two-tin roof in an attached kitchen to a cafe, delivered milk for neighbor, Mrs. George Rupert who gave Bill a used bicycle to get to the jobs. Bill sang to Mrs. Rupert and her maid in her kitchen, Cole Porter's "You're The Top" with all the words! He worked at the cotton mill and Kerr Glass and at Mrs. Strader's drug store with his friends, Tom Segner and Page Lampkin, where the three were soda jerks and waited on cars driving up to the curb. There was a parrot there that talked to the customers. Bill finished high school in 1941 and entered the US Army where he trained at Ft. Hood and served in the Philippines. On return, in 1946, he began working at U.S. Rubber. He met Katie Williford at the streetcar station in Sand Springs and there was never anyone else for either one. They were married and built a house out by the airport with the help of the GI Bill. In 1950, Bill was in the Army Reserves and was recalled to the service during the Korean War. This time he trained inductees at Ft. Hood, where Bill and Katie lived for a year. When he was discharged, they returned to Tulsa and their daughter, Susan Melissa was born. Bill changed jobs from Flint Steel to the John A. Roebling Wire Rope Company, that kept his job waiting while he served in the Army. Before long, Sand Springs enticed them to move back and son, William Christopher was born. They stayed in Sand Springs while their children finished school. During all those years, Bill began leading an adult Sunday School class at the First Presbyterian Church with his friends, Ed Dubie, Harlan Pinkerton, and Marshall Perry, was president of the Laicos Club, a great group of 30 to 40 young couples who shared weekends at Camp Parthenia, had fun parties and dances, he was president of the Sand Springs Alumni Association a couple of times, organized the 1941 class reunion, and was president of the Sand Springs Museum Board. He belonged over sixty years to the Sand Springs Masonic Lodge, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. CF&I (formerly John A. Roebling Steel) put Bill on oil rigs, bridges, down in mines and all kinds of construction and supply stores all over Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. After Bill retired at 65 years of age, he went to work for LMP Steel in Maryville, MO where he worked ten more years. He loved his long career in sales and treasured friends he made everywhere. The lunches, dinners, and even cups of coffee, were well-spent time. Later, just to see a reel of wire rope brought back so many stories and memories. Bill continued to teach Sunday School at the Sand Springs Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and Trustee at several different times. Bill was a hardworking, good looking, friendly, respectable man who loved life and sharing it with all he could. He leaves many friends and is survived by his adoring wife of 69 years, and precious daughter, Susan and her husband, Harroll Rhoads; his son, Will, was lost to cancer in 2006. Bill's grandsons, Chad Rhoads and wife, Shondra, Preston and Elliott, filled Bill's life with love, fun and terrific memories. There is more of all that in great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Presbyterian Church, 222 North Adams Road, Sand Springs, OK. Family has asked that in lieu of flowers, please give to your favorite charity. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com

Bill Deas

June 18, 1923 - August 16, 2017