Funeral Services for Raymond A. Wilcox, 90, of Fairview, Oklahoma will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at the Fairview Funeral Home Chapel. Dan O'Daniel of the Chisholm Trail Cowboy Church will officiate. Burial will follow at the Roscoe Cemetery with the American Legion providing military honors.

Visitation at the Funeral Home will be Thursday October 29th from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Friday October 30th from 9:00 am to 6:00pm and before the service on Saturday.

Raymond A. Wilcox died of natural causes Friday, October 23, 2009 at the Fairview Fellowship Home. Raymond was born March 23, 1919 in Fairview, OK, to Clarence and Lillie Wilcox. He grew up in Major County on a farm and, after graduating from Fairview High School, attended Northwestern University in Alva for a year. From 1942-1945 he served in the U.S. Army as a Major with the 830th Engineer Aviation Battalion which constructed airfields in England, France, and Germany. While in England, he met his wife, Marian L. Kurtz from Michigan, who was serving with the American Red Cross. After VE Day, they were married in Paris on July 12, 1945.

Ray and Marian lived in Fairview for a time after the War before moving to Illinois and then Michigan. He attended Michigan State University for a year before embarking on a number of business pursuits in Colorado and Illinois. Ray also farmed in Oklahoma at various times, settling here permanently in 1959 with his wife and three daughters. He was the founder of the Seiling Grain Elevator, now the Wheeler Bros. Grain Elevator. He continued ranching and farming and later turned his interests toward the oil and gas industry. He was a landman for many years operating as Roadrunner Enterprises. During this time he was largely instrumental in preserving the State's fresh water resources. He was a founding member of the Board of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO) and a lifetime Honorary Board Member. After the War he served in the U.S. Army Reserves for twenty years and was a member of the American Legion and the VFW. He enjoyed raising cattle, racing thoroughbred horses and helping his clients settle disputes with the oil and gas companies.

Raymond is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marian of Fairview Fellowship Village, three daughters and their husbands: Nancy and George A. Brown Sr. of Boynton Beach, Florida; Suzanne and Leon Scott of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; and Judith and William Knight of Montrose, Colorado; four grandchildren: Sasha Elmore of Plantation, Florida, Shea Elmore of Astoria, New York, and Hanna and Shane Guenther of Montrose, Colorado; his nephew and wife, C.A. and Dian Nichols of Fairview, Oklahoma, and several other nieces, nephews and friends. In addition, he is survived by his very dear friends, Terry and Pat Woods.

His parents, his sister Geneva, and her husband Cecil Nichols preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Roscoe Cemetery or the Orion Volunteer Fire Association with Fairview Funeral Home, Inc. acting as custodians of the funds.

Condolences may be made online at www.fairviewfuneralhomeinc.com