Orb Webster Whaley

Orb Webster Whaley, Jr. ran in to the arms of His Lord and Savior on Sunday, August 10, 2014 in Tulsa, OK. The long time Cleveland, Oklahoma resident was the fourth child born to Orb Webster Whaley and Ludie (Hardwick) Whaley on May 1, 1927 in Sapulpa, OK. As a 1945 Antlers High School graduate he was a member of the Greatest Generation by birth and served his country voluntarily in the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man in WWII and a Marine Corps officer in the Korean War. After graduating from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1949, where he lettered in football for the Savages and where he earned a life-time teaching certificate in mathematics, he married the love of his life, Billie Frances Gardner in Antlers, OK on July 4, 1951. After his second tour in the Marine Corps and a brief teaching experience with undergraduate students at the University of Oklahoma, he went to work for Western Auto as a store manager in Oklahoma City. He moved up through the Western Auto corporate structure as a retail sales manager while relocating to Wichita, Kansas, ultimately having responsibility for all company-owned stores in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. Wanting to raise their young family in a small town as they had been raised, in 1967 he purchased the Western Auto store in Cleveland, OK where he became a fixture on Main Street for the next 23 years as he and Frances busied themselves in all aspects of their adopted community, including their church, the community's schools (where Frances taught) and many civic efforts. He was active with the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Cleveland Rotary, served as a trustee for Indian Electric Cooperative, and helped initiate the Cleveland Free Medical Clinic which still serves the community today. He served in various capacities as a member of the First United Methodist Church while singing in the choir, and as a Gideon helped in the distribution of` God's Word in area schools, across the state, country and world. His quiet faith and love for Christ was demonstrated in all he did in his home and work. He was passionate about the value of athletics and the game of football in particular, always believing the life lessons learned far outweighed any measure of wins or losses. He was equally passionate about music, particularly the joy of barbershop music and was a member of the Founders of Harmony Chorus in Tulsa where he was also a member of the competitive quartet "Chips Off the Old Block." But mostly he was passionate about his family. During his life he faithfully served his family as a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. As such, he is survived by his living legacy: his wife of 63 years, Frances of the home; his son Mike and wife Peggy of Blanchard; his son Steve and wife Callie of Rogers, Arkansas; and his son Phillip and wife Ashton of Edmond; grandchildren Mary Beth Braggs, Ashleigh Whaley, Mayo Whaley, Michael Whaley, Cooper Whaley, Harper Whaley and great-grandchild Avereigh Braggs and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother John Thomas Whaley and two sisters, Nancy Ellen Greenstreet and Dorotha Wade Wilkerson. A celebration of his life will be held on Wednesday, August 13 at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church in Cleveland with interment at the Old Towne Cemetery in Tuskahoma on Thursday, August 14 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, Orb requested that donations be made to one his favorite causes: The Gideons International, P. O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800.