Stanley Loye Willingham

Stanley Loye Willingham passed away on June 18, 2023 at the age of 77 at his home in Clinton, Oklahoma. Known as Stan, he was born on February 20, 1946 to Leroy Willingham and Lena (Messimer) Willingham in Clinton. He graduated Clinton High School in 1965. During his high school years, he worked as a surgical tech at Clinton Regional Hospital.

Stan joined the Navy in October of 1965 and completed basic and Corp School in San Diego. On August 27, 1967, he married Paula Carman of Hydro, Oklahoma at the Hydro Methodist Church. They made their home in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was stationed at the time. Six months later, he was sent to Vietnam.

He was a medic onboard the USS Colleton working with the Army surgical team. Upon his return to the states in April of 1969, he was stationed at the Marine base Camp Pendleton in California. Stan and Paula made their home in San Clemente, California while he was located there. When he was discharged from the Navy in October of 1969, they returned to Oklahoma and made their home in Clinton where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Stan worked as a respiratory therapist for just under 50 years. He had obtained RT training during his military years, and worked throughout western Oklahoma. Stan had managed two home health care companies, Lincare and Glasrock, and had also been Director of Respiratory at Clinton Regional Hospital and Weatherford Regional Hospital, where he retired in 2016.

Stan and his wife loved to travel. They had visited all 50 states and especially enjoyed visiting national parks. Their last big trip was to Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Parks in 2022 with Stan’s cousin. Stan enjoyed coin collecting, entering his cars in car shows, hunting, fishing, genealogy, photography, and attending drag races. He was a member of American Legion Post 91 as well as the American Numismatic (coin collecting) Association.

Stan is survived by his wife, Paula, of the home; daughters Toni (Tim) Doughty of Louisville, Kentucky and Amber (Dustin) Price of Weatherford; granddaughters Andrea Price of Weatherford and Jaylee Price of Burns Flat, and great-grandsons Kole Wilson of Elk City, Preston Price of Tuttle, and Weston Price of Burns Flat.

He was preceded in death by his parents Leroy and Lena Willingham; sister LaJune (Bobby) Bates and his brother Royce Willingham, all of Clinton; granddaughter Gabbi Hawthorn, grandson Joshua Price, and great-granddaughter Natalie Price, all of Weatherford.

Services to be held at the Church of Christ at 2601 Custer Avenue in Clinton, Oklahoma at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 with military honors to follow at Hydro Masonic Cemetery. Visitation at Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home will begin in the evening on Tuesday, June 20th.

In honor of Stan’s memory, the family requests that you consider a donation to the Mobile Riverine Force Association. You can address it to Frank Jones – MRFA, 9 San Marino Parkway, Fenton, MO 63026-7513. Please include a note that says “In memory of Stanley Willingham.”