Olen D. Berrong

Funeral Services for Olen D. Berrong, 90, Clinton Businessman, will be held 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, March 18, 2015 in the First Baptist Church, officiated by Robin Palesono of Oklahoma City and Chris Fields of the First Baptist Church. Burial will conclude in the Clinton Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. The family will greet guest 5:30 till 7:30, Tuesday, March 17, 2015 in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel. Olen Dean Berrong was born to Abbie and Cortez Fernando Berrong on July 11, 1924 in Custer City, Oklahoma. Olen moved with his family to Clinton in 1931, at the age of seven where he lived until his death on March 15th, 2015. Upon graduation from Clinton High School in 1942, where Berrong excelled in track, he was called into military service with the U.S. Army. He served with the Army in the European theatre during World War II returning home in 1946. On September 5, 1948 Olen married Dorothy Jones in Clinton, Oklahoma and joined his father-in-law as a partner/owner of Strange-Jones Wholesale Hardware Co. Berrong later became President and General Manager of Strange-Jones Wholesale Company where he actively worked 61 years until 2009. An avid fisherman and tennis player into his eighties, Berrong's life long focus was his family and his active involvement at First Baptist Church, Clinton, Oklahoma. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior in 1935 and through the years at First Baptist he served as a Deacon for 50 years, a Sunday School Teacher, and served as Church Secretary and Treasurer for 40 years. Berrong was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy Berrong, his mother and father Abbie and Cortez Fernando Berrong, his sister Loleta Teems, two brothers, Leon Berrong and Leo Berrong. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law David Dean Berrong and his wife Janice of Clinton, his daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Harold Wilbanks of Graham Texas. Grandsons Jonathan Dean Berrong and his wife Lacey of Weatherford Oklahoma, Blaine Wilbanks and his wife Taylor of Fort Worth, Texas, Granddaughters Marissa Berrong of South Korea, and Audra Winter and her husband Matt of Fort Worth, Texas. Other survivors include four great-grandsons Asher, Aiden, Lawson, and Alden; one great grand-daughter on the way, Dru. Memorial contributions in his honor may be made to First Baptist Church, Clinton, Oklahoma.