Deborah "Dee" Anne O"Hara

Funeral Services for Dee O'Hara will be held 1:00 P. M. Thursday, June 26, 2014 in the Church of Christ 2601 Custer Ave. Clinton, officiated by Patrick Peters and burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery in Elk City under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Deborah "Dee" Anne O'Hara as born January 16, 1950 to Michael A. Jr., and Patsy Rae (Stream) O'Hara in El Reno, Oklahoma and passed away Monday, June 23, 2014 in the Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. "Dee" started her young life in Chickasha but in March of 1951 the family moved to her mother's Hometown of El Reno where she graduated from high school in 1968 this made her the the 3rd generation to graduate from El Reno High school In the summer of 1967, Dee got her first job working the soda fountain as well as retail sales in her Dad's drugstore in Watonga, OK. After high school, she attended college briefly at both St. Gregory's in Shawnee and the University of OK in Norman. Since her original major was Journalism, she worked on the campus newspaper at OU. Three of the four semesters that she worked on the paper, she was selected to be a Major Staff Writer. This was a time of strife, unrest and sit-ins and she was assigned to cover a lot of these events that happened on the OU Campus. Not only did these articles in the campus paper but many of them were reprinted on the front page of the state paper, The Daily Oklahoman with her byline. In the years that followed she worked as a secretary primarily in the insurance and legal fields during the early 1980's she started working as a substance abuse counselor; and became one of the first certified Substance Abuse counselors in the state. While working in this field, she served on many mental Health committees as well as the Certification Board for Substance Abuse Counselors. Among the agencies she worked for was Opportunities, Inc., in Watonga and committee of Concern (now Multi-County Youth Services) in Clinton. As part of her job duties at Opp. Inc., Dee planned, implemented and ran the firs DUI School in Western OK. In the summer of 1986, she returned to college at Southwestern State University in Weatherford where she was on the Dean's Honor Roll every semester. She graduated in 1988 with a BS in Psychology. Dee then entered graduated school at the University of Central OK. Here she was named to the President's Honor Roll every semester and was also elected to Kappa Delta Pi, an Education Honor Society. In 1990 she transferred to the University of OK where she completed her M. ED in Counseling Psychology and was in the top 55 of her class. She applied for and received one of the four internships reserved for master level students ta Children's Hospital in the Child Study Division in Oklahoma City. During the last months of her internship, she also applied for and received and internship at Drug Recovery where she became not only the Senior Counselor but also the Coordinator of the Evaluation and Assessment Unit. While in college, she worked as a waitress which is an occupation she continued on a part time basis for several years after her return to Clinton in August 1996. She was also a former resident of Watonga, El Reno and Elk City as well as several other communities in Oklahoma. After returning from counseling field in 1997, she worked as a field rep for the U.S. Census Bureau as well as self-employed merchandiser. Throughout her life, Dee was faced with many adversities and obstacles some of which were major health problems such as Lupus, Diabetes and severe back problems. She chose to look at these things as challenges to overcome and opportunity to become a better person. She was determined that these things wouldn't rule her life as she wanted to live life to the fullest, laugh and have fun. She was also a giver. She stated many times that she had been given so much by so many that she wanted to repay by helping others which she did though her volunteer work. She was an Active member of the Custer Avenue Church of Christ where she served in a number of difference ministries. She was active in Clinton Meals on Wheels, was currently on the Board of Directors for Clinton Christmas Connection as well as served as secretary of this organization and also was currently serving on the Reunion and activity committee for the El Reno High School Class of 68. In the past, she had been a mentor at the East Side Academy, served on the 10 year Hub City Focus Planning Committee as well as on the defunct Clinton Housing Board. She further worked as a volunteer for many years at the Custer County Fair as well as a Red Cross Volunteer for several years where she worked several major disasters. Dee was also a member of the OU Club of Clinton, University of OK Alumni Association, and Custer County Chapter of the Oklahoma Federation of Republican Women, the Custer County Chapter of Republicans as well as a member of Dar-Washita Chapter. In addition, she was a friend of Bill W. (A.A.) since December 14, 1979. As a part of this organization, she served as a trusted servant in several different capacities at both the local and district levels. Also serving as Custer County coordinator of Gov. Mary Fallins reelection Campaign. Cats were her one passion in life. Throughout her life, she had a number of cats all of whom she referred to as her 4-legged children. She also enjoyed genealogy, reading, working all kinds of puzzles especially jigsaw, politics, history, garage sales, working In the yards as well as her flower garden and rooting for her Sooners. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mike and Pat her grandparents, Mike and Elba O'Hara and G.C. and Bessie Stream, her step-grandfather, G.L. "Doc" Gambrel as well as her two favorite 4-leged children, Shannon who was her constant companion and traveling buddy for 17 ½ years and Sean Shannon. She is survived by her brother, Michel of Norman, OK, step-mother, Margaret O'Hara Demel of Elk City, step-grandmother, Helen Gambrell of Sentinel, and number of Cousins including Robert and Sandra Lamm of Saraland, AL, Janie Neill of Houston, TX, Bob and Judy Lamm of Tucumcari, NM, Sondra and Larry Thomas, Logan, NM, Robert and Jimi Lou O'Hara of Elk City, Ok, Anna Marie Strobel of Elk City, Chery Mayfield of Elk City, Pat Garling Kenny and Misty Garling all of Bessie, Cindy and Robert Mayfield o Clinton , Pat and Laura O'Hara of Edmond and her current 4-legged child, Paddy. At her request , she suggested donations be made to Valley Hope Treatment Facility in Cushing, the Pharmacy Museum at SWOSU in Weatherford, the Guardian Cat Sanctuary of El Reno, Clinton Christmas Connection, the Custer Ave Church of christ Library, or the Eastside Academy in Clinton.