Don Clift

Funeral Services for Don Clift, 88, Butler resident will be held 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, January 20, 2016 in the Clinton's First Baptist Church, officiated by Pastor Vann Leonard. Burial will conclude in the Butler Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Don Melvin Clift was born February 11, 1927 to Don Felix Clift and Nota Lee Barton in Tuscahoma, Oklahoma and passed away Friday, January 15, 2016 in the Alliance Health Clinton in Clinton, Oklahoma. The Clift family moved to Western, Oklahoma in 1934. They migrated across the plains of Texas as far as New Mexico, picking cotton for a living, returning to Western, Oklahoma where Don helped his dad farm. He attended school at Colter and Pie Flat, graduating from Canute High School in 1945. He enlisted in the United States Army and served in Germany during WWII. After he received his Honorable discharge from the Army he returned home in Western Oklahoma and continued to help his father on the farm. He met and married Nelda Fletcher in 1953. They rented the "Brown" farm, making this their home and to this union two children were born, Deanna and Donnie. He later married Ella Jean (Ray) Huddleston in 1969. Jean had two children, Danny and Karen. They all moved to the present farm Northwest of Butler where they spent 23 years and until Jean's death in 1992. He was married to Mary Lou (Howe) Snider in 1999. Don and Mary Lou made their home in Butler and he continued to farm and ranch. They have enjoyed their combined families of seven children, 32 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. He is preceded in death by his parents, son, Donnie Clift, two brothers, Charles Clift and Houston Clift and two sisters, Hazel Bonner, and Georgia Armstead; granddaughter, Jamie Lynn Clift and grandson, Dannie Gene Huddleston. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Butler; he loved the outdoors, farming and ranching, he collected antique tractors and old guns. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, of the home, daughter, Deanna Harrison and husband, Randy, of Africa, three step daughters, Karen Cravens and husband, Randy, Putnam, De Anne Shelton and husband, Sam, Butler, OK, Connie Crowder and David Armstrong, Sunset, TX, two step-sons, Danny Huddleston, Fay, OK and Larry Snider and wife, Pat, Clinton; sister, Thad Mikles, Elk City, OK; brother, Robert Clift and wife, J.J., Jamuel, CA. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, Jennifer Cobb and husband, Mark, Butler, Jessica Trebing and husband, Shane, Butler, Daniel Harrison and wife, Kim, Africa, Christy Harrison and husband Peter Sensenig, Africa, Rachel Keeler and husband, Adam, Africa, Matt Cravens and wife, Julie Clinton, Jeanie Atchley and husband, Ethan, Elk City and Donnie Huddleston, Custer City, OK, Travis Gittins and wife, Angela, Yukon, Eric Shelton and wife, Lora, Thomas, Chris Kauk and wife, Michelle, Clinton, Gregg Kauk and wife, Rebecca, Arapaho, Kristy Flies, Clinton and Tracy McCulllough and husband, Gene, Clinton and 16 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.