Junior Travis

Junior Travis was born January 20, 1926 in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma between Cresent and Dover. He was the son of Fred M. and Grace Ollie (Williams) Travis. Junior attended elementary school and junior high at Excelsor School in Kingfisher County and then three years at Inola High School. Prior to graduation from high school, Junior was inducted into the service of his country in the United States Army on July 28, 1944 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Junior served honorably during World War II for nearly two years, serving eighteen months overseas in the Pacific Theatre. PFC Travis participated in the Battle of Luzon which was a land battle fought as part of World War II by the Allied forces of the United States, its colony the Philippines, and allies against forces of the Empire of Japan. For his honorable service, Junior was awarded the following decorations and citations, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star, World War II Victory Ribbon, Philippines Liberation Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star, 3 Overseas Service Bars, Army Occupation Ribbon (Japan) Good Conduct Medal and the Purple Heart Medal for injuries received in the line of duty on July 1, 1945. He was discharged on July 27, 1946 at Fort Sam Houston Texas. Upon his return to Oklahoma, Junior was married to Edith Niceley on October 19, 1946 in Wagoner, Oklahoma. Edith and Junior made their initial home north of Wagoner, Oklahoma. After one year, they moved to Rogers County where their first son Martin Fred was born. They then relocated to a farm one mile south of Jennings where Francis Dale, Glenn Ray, and Jay Bee were all born. In the late 1980's Edith and Junior moved into the town of Jennings. Junior worked primarily on the farm for a short time after his discharge and then accepted employment working in the oilfields of Northeastern Oklahoma for a few years. He remained active on the farm also raising cattle throughout his life until for health reasons he was unable to continue. In the early 1970ís, Junior began hs career with American Airlines in Tulsa, working in facility maintenance for seventeen years before his retirement. Junior was a longtime and faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Jennings. Junior was also a member of the Veteranís of Foreign War in Oilton, Oklahoma. Edith and Junior loved to travel and went many miles and spent countless hours in their travel trailer, traveling throughout the country. They were longtime members of the Good Sams Travel Club and the Pawnee County Cheifs Good Sams Club. They also enjoyed attending rodeos and dancing the two step in the area including Jumpís Roller Rink watching and enjoying Hank Thompson and Bob Wills at the Cains Ballroom. Edith preceded him in death on August 1, 2006. Junior passed from this life on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at the Oklahoma Veterans Center in Claremore at the age of eighty-eight. In addition to his wife of nearly sixty-years, Junior was preceded in death by his parents, Fred M. and Grace Ollie Travis; two brothers; Glenn B. Travis and Clyde Travis; daughter-in-law, Holly Travis and a son, Dale Travis. He is survived by a son and his wife, Martin and Beverly Travis of Park Hill, Oklahoma, a son Glenn Travis of Cheyenne, Wyoming and a son, Jay Travis of Claremore, Oklahoma; daughter-in-law, Connie Travis of Bristow, Oklahoma; nine grandchildren, Paul Travis of Oilton, Oklahoma, Kristie McCracken of Jennings, Oklahoma, Jeremy Travis of Jenks, Oklahoma, Josh Travis of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Heath Travis of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Dillon Murphy of Mannford, Oklahoma, Andrew Dale Travis of Orange, California, Heather Kennedy of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and John Brennan Travis of Claremore, Oklahoma; twelve great-grandchildren; two sisters, Norma Ganner of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dorothy Chapman of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, February 28, 2014 at the First Baptist Church in Jennings with Paul Travis officiating. Burial will be at the Jennings Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home. Serving as pallbearers will be Jeremy Alan Travis, Josh Adam Travis, Paul Martin Travis, Heath Dalton Travis, Andrew Dale Travis and John Brennan Travis. Honorary Pallbearers will be Dillon Murphy, Cody Kennedy and Jeremy McCracken.