The funeral for Virgel Raymond Dow, 96, of Chester, will be 10:00 a.m. on August 2, 2008, at The Fairview First Baptist Church. Reverends John Doffer and Daryle Moore will officiate.

Virgel Raymond Dow was born on September 22,1911 to Roy and Ida (Stucker) Dow in a dugout west of Fairview, OK. He died July 30,2008 at 12:47 a.m. in the Fairview Fellowship Home, Fairview, Oklahoma.

Virgel grew up on the family farm 12 miles west of Fairview and attended Pleasant Hill Rural School. In 1932, he graduated from Cheyenne Valley High School, later attending Northwestern Teachers College, Alva, OK.

As the eldest of seven children, Virgel helped his father on the family farm. During the 1930's, he went to California to work on the McMillan Ranch for four years to help his parents pay expenses back home in Oklahoma.

Virgel was drafted into World War II on April 15, 1942. He was sent to Aberdeen, Maryland for six weeks training in the Army 81st Ordinance as a tank maintenance mechanic. Virgel never received a furlough home and was sent to the Hawaiian Islands where he stayed two years. The remainder of his service was spent in the Philippines and Okinawa. Virgel was discharged from the Army in 1945 after the atomic bomb was dropped.

On February 9th, 1946, he married Bertie Leona Bowers in Wellington, KS. He worked at Anthony Wholesale in Fairview while Bertie worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. After a year Virgel and Bertie moved to Cheyenne Valley where they farmed for George Viers for two years. After buying land west of Fairview, Virgel farmed, milked cows, custom cut wheat and worked for Hallren's Produce.

On September 11, 1950 a daughter, Mary Ellen was born to Virgel and Bertie. In 1952 they moved to Shandon, California where they worked on the X Bar D Ranch. Their son Bruce was born there on January 1, 1954. Upon returning to Fairview in the summer of 1954, Virgel and his family continued farming while Virgel also worked for the City of Fairview. In 1963 Virgel and Bertie bought 160 acres 20 miles west of Fairview near Orion, OK. They resided there until April 21st, 2008 when they moved to the Fairview Fellowship Home.

Virgel was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Wilbur and Ray Dow and one sister, Gladys Wilcox.

Virgel is survived by his wife of 62 years, Bertie; his children, Mary Ellen and husband Charles Stewart of Aline, OK and Bruce Dow of Chester, OK; his brother Vernon Dow and wife Flo of Oklahoma City, OK; his sisters, Ila Gosney of Fairview, OK and Thelma Lee Carson of Ponca City, OK; four grandchildren; Melynda and husband Mike Allison; Steven Stewart; Mark Dow; and Erica Dow; seven great-grandchildren-Bailey Allison; Mandelyn Hibbitt; Sydney Hibbitt; Morgan Allison; Colby Stewart; Branch Hibbitt and Cody Allison.

Memorial contributions can be made to Longdale Baptist Church, Orion Cemetery Association and the Orion Fire Department with the Fairview Funeral Home,Inc acting as custodians of the funds.