Don Wayne Woodrell

Longtime Bartlesville resident Don Woodrell, 91, died peacefully Monday July 11 at Jane Phillips Hospital after a fall. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Fessler, daughters Kathy Woodrell and her partner Cindy Attwood of Alexandria, VA, Kim Hurst and Sally Coble of Houston, Texas; Dorothy’s children, Susan and Bob Stinnett, Betty and Larry McKinney and Jim and Carole Fessler, beloved niece Nanette Ketcher, grandchildren, Dana Coble and husband Kenny, Annie Koehn and husband Josh, Morgan Hurst, several great grandchildren, extended family and many friends. His daughter Rita, wife Sally Harris Woodrell and grandson David Coble preceded Don in death. Don was born February 24th, 1925 in Mannford, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Army at age 18. Don was assigned to the 706th Ordnance Division in South Korea and the Philippines. At the age of 20, he was promoted to the rank of Master Sargent – at the time the youngest Master Sargent the Army had ever named. Don and his wife Betty moved to Bartlesville in 1950 and raised two daughters, Rita and Kathy. Don started his work career in the automotive industry. He attended night school at the University of Tulsa. He graduated in 1972 and enjoyed a 33-year successful career with Phillips Petroleum Company, retiring from Corporate Management Services in 1985. He loved the Golden Hurricanes. In 1991 Don met Cora Lea (Sally) Harris. He married into a loving family with two daughters, Kim and Sally. Don and Sally enjoyed 20 years of retirement together. As a retired couple they carried business cards saying they specialized in dancing, traveling, and card playing, all of which they did in abundance. Don particularly enjoyed traveling to Virginia and Houston to see family. Don remained an avid golfer into his late 80’s. One of his proudest moments was “shooting his age”, 80 at 80 during a round at Hillcrest. Until his recent accident, Don had a memory that would make the young jealous. Although he had retired from Phillips over 33 years ago, he remembered his career fondly and could tell you all about his colleagues travels and adventures. After Sally’s death in 2012, Don was lucky to meet and fall in love with Dorothy Fessler. They married in 2013 and enjoyed 2 ½ years of happiness. Despite their brief marriage, they created enough memories to last a lifetime, traveling to many places, visiting family, going to dances, playing cards with friends and visiting Dorothy’s children and grandchildren. Don was a member of First Methodist Church of Bartlesville but attended services at several churches in the area. The family will be greeting friends in the Chapel at Stumpff Funeral Home on the evening of Wednesday, July 13th from 5 to 7 P.M. Funeral services will be held Thursday July 14, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. in the Chapel at Stumpff Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to the Cherokee Children’s Mission, RR1 Box 95; Bunch, OK 74931.

Don Wayne Woodrell

February 24, 1925 - July 11, 2016