Wayne Garland Schweikhard

Schweikhard, Wayne Garland, 94, died peacefully Friday, April 20, 2018. Wayne was born August 10, 1923 in Punkin Center, near Morris, OK to Jacob and Ethel Anderson Schweikhard. Wayne's childhood was spent on small farms in the Okmulgee, OK. area. He graduated from Boynton High School and went on to attend Northeastern Oklahoma State College in Tahlequah where he met the love of his life, Elizabeth Ann Hill from Cameron, OK. Wayne was a member of the "Greatest Generation" and joined the Navy in 1942.He served aboard various ships including the USS Ozark. He was aboard the Ozark in Tokyo Bay during the famous formal surrender by the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945 in a ceremony conducted by General Douglas MacArthur aboard the battleship USS Missouri. The Ozark was tasked to bring home the first group of Marines who were prisoners of war in Japan and Wayne would often describe to his children how the prisoners were transferred from the Japanese ship to the USS Ozark by breeches bouy. While still serving in the Navy, he married Elizabeth Ann, August 21, 1944. Together they raised 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Theirs was a love story that lasted for 70 years, until her death in 2015. After the service Wayne continued his education at Oklahoma A & M (now OSU) in Stillwater, where they lived until his graduation with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1948. Wayne was hired right out of college by Public Service Company of Oklahoma. His entire career was spent working as a Project Engineer for PSO. He managed both mechanical and electric power generation construction and equipment installation projects. He retired in 1997 after working for 48 years at a job he loved. Wayne made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ and has been a follower since his youth. He not only attended all services weekly, but also served as a deacon, teacher, and occasional song leader. He made sure that each of his children learned the teachings of the Bible with dinnertime devotionals and prayer. He and Elizabeth attended many years at the 10th and Rockford Church of Christ and then the 29th and Yale Church of Christ in Tulsa. Wayne is survived by son, Bill and his wife, Beverly of Colleyville, TX; son, Tim of Tulsa; daughter, Beth Wooldridge and her husband, Tom who are full time RVers; son, Jake and his wife, Carol of Tulsa; and son, Jon and his husband, Randy of Dallas; grandchildren, Annalisa, James, Kimberly, Jeana, Amanda, Nikki, Andrea and April; and 9 great-grandchildren. Wayne is also survived by his brother, Bob and his wife Sally of Tulsa and sister, Carol Hottel and her husband, Bruce of Sherman, TX. Wayne was preceded in death by his beloved wife Elizabeth Ann, his parents Jacob and Ethel, siblings Bill, Opal, Warren, Laverne and Erwin and great-granddaughter Ella Wallace. Wayne donated gallons of blood during his life and volunteered countless hours for the American Red Cross. In the last years of his life it was donated blood that kept him alive and helped him to function somewhat independently. In his honor, his children request that in lieu of flowers, monetary or lifesaving blood donations be made to American Red Cross, 10151 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK 74128 Visitation for Wayne will be 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at the 29th & Yale Church of Christ, followed by Service at 1:00 p.m. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery (with full military honors) immediately following service. Moore's Southlawn Chapel, 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com

Wayne Garland Schweikhard

August 10, 1923 - April 20, 2018