story and photo by Vicki Jenkins, Staff Writer

Jenna Waddell is a flight nurse, flying out of Air Evac Lifeteam in Ada, Oklahoma. She has been a nurse for almost six years now and has been flying for a year and seven months. “I always wanted to work in the medical field, ever since I was a child. I truly believe it is a calling for me to serve others. Growing up, my dad, now a 100% disabled combat veteran Navy SEAL, would sometimes come home from deployment with an injury. I would help him in any way that I could. After a traumatic parachuting accident that almost amputated his right leg, I knew for sure that I was supposed to go into trauma and emergency medicine. I grew up taking care of others, so it is only natural for me to be a nurse. It’s in my bones. No pun intended,” Jenna said with a smile.
“Being a flight nurse is the best job in the whole world,” Jenna said. “I don’t just have one favorite thing about my job but the ones that stand out are: 1. The amount of autonomy that I have in the air. I do not have to ask a physician for orders. It is me and my partner making critical life or death decisions. 2. We are held to a higher standard as clinicians with an enhanced scope of practice. The requirements, certifications and education needed are next level and we are expected to know our stuff. 3. I take care of patients in a helicopter.”
Jenna got her first degree at Baylor University in Health and Human Science. “I initially was going to be a physical therapist. During my senior year at Baylor, I was completing my clinical nurse in an inpatient setting for physical therapy school admission. During that rotation, I was working alongside other nurses. I watched as they worked tirelessly to provide the best care for their patients. I knew right then that was going to become a nurse. I applied last minute into UCO’s Nursing program after graduation from Baylor. I went through the fast track nursing program at Oklahoma City University Kramer School of Nursing. I did not realize that nursing had so many specialties and opportunities. After doing more research about the profession, I never looked back,” Jenna said.
To qualify for a flight nurse, more training is needed. “You must have 3-5 years of critical care experience, have BLS, ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, PHNRP, an advanced certification such as TNCC and an advanced nursing certification to include either CFRN, CCRN, or CEN. After being accepted into the new role as a flight nurse, there is a six month orientation/training process,” Jenna explained. “During those six months, you have to attend and pass three regional intensives which test you on your knowledge and skill set during any quizzes and stimulations. There are four flight nurses, four flight paramedics, and four pilots at each base,” Jenna added.
Jenna’s flight flies out of Ada, Oklahoma, working 24 hours on, 24 hours off each week. She works in the trauma bay at the hospital during her week off. “I truly experience the best of the nursing world-in air and on the ground.”
“Our service area is 75 nautical miles from the base in Ada, Oklahoma. However, we have found ourselves in many states across the Midwest and southeastern regions to include Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.”
At the base, Air Evac Lifeteam 26 in Ada, there were seventy-four flights this past month, the most in the state of Oklahoma.
What are some of the qualities of a good flight nurse? “Compassion, hard-working, detail-oriented, empathetic, being a strong, patient advocate, an effective communicator, a leader but also a team player,” Jenna said.
Asking Jenna if she had received any awards or recognitions, she replied, “I received honors for grades all through undergrad and nursing school including Cum Laude, the honor society for nurses, President’s List, Dean’s List, a Base Recognition Award, etc. I volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society.”
When Jenna is not working she enjoys spending her time, running, cycling, Body Pump and CrossFit, etc. Jenna likes to travel and spend time outdoors, whether it be hiking, boating, camping, kayaking and scuba surfing. She enjoys walking Bentley, her Australian Shepherd mix. Jenna also likes to read and play the violin.
Summing up Jenna’s life in three words, she replied, “Faith, adventure and ambition.”
For more information visit: www.lifeteam.net.

Hi, Instagram! It’s Andrew. I have some, how should I say, personal news. But before I get into that, please “like” my page” and also follow me on YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok. Oh, and I’ll have more details about this announcement on my podcast; so check that out too.
OK, here goes. As many of you know, I’ve been in the workforce for nearly six months. Well, if you don’t count the nine mental health days I took, then, yes, six months. And even though my company instituted a four-day work week and allows paid time off for dog grooming visits, I needed those days. Seriously, when my supervisor told me I had to be part of FOUR Zoom calls in a single day, well, that was just too much. And that’s what I’m live streaming this announcement.
As my 24th birthday dawns, a little voice inside my head has been getting louder. And it’s saying, “Drew, there’s more to life than work.” Now it’s time I start listening to that voice.
I mean, I’ve already accomplished all of my professional goals. I’ve made enough money to move out of my parents’ house. Well, I almost did, then COVID hit. So, yes, I’m still here, but living in my childhood bedroom, surrounded by my high school trophies, has made me realize that life is short. I don’t want to wake up when I’m 30 — hopefully in my own place — and realize how much I’ve missed.
So, I’ve made the decision to take some Andrew time. I’m not retiring. I’m just…recalibrating. And everybody has been so supportive, maybe with the exception of my dad who said, “What the hell does that mean? I’m 58 and you don’t see me re-whatever. I haven’t even calibrated yet.”
I can’t believe my dad still works. He could have retired by 30 if he just had the same values and goals as my generation.
It’s not like I won’t be making money. I can always become an influencer, monetize my YouTube channel or develop an app. My college roommate Darren created this AWESOME app that suggests which cannabis-infused edibles go best with microbrews. So, like, if you’re sipping a Belgian IPA, you just point your iPhone at the glass and the app tells you that a watermelon sativa gummy would go great with it.
It’s amazing! Darren submitted it to Apple 15 months ago and he’s still waiting to hear back; but when he does, he and I are going to be partying in Belize. First class, baby! Is there any other way to travel?
Plus, Dad doesn’t know anything about cryptocurrency. When is he going to learn that the only thing you need for financial independence is a decent internet signal and a Reddit account?
So, next Friday will be my last day. I’ve already told my co-workers that I don’t want a big party. Or a big virtual party since we’re all still working from home. I submitted my notice and the messages on my company group chat have been SUPER positive. Wait, here’s one now. I’ll read it aloud:
“Remind me again. Who are you?”
Um, that probably came from somebody who was hired after me. But see, this is my point. Once I’ve extricated myself from the workforce, I won’t have to respond to group chat messages. If I must work from home on my laptop at the local Starbucks, I want it to be work that fulfills ME, not somebody else. I’ve given my heart and soul to this organization ever since the day my dad’s golf buddy hired me. Those days are over.
So, that’s it. As of next week, I’ll be off the grid for a while. I plan to travel. Maybe hike or camp or just do something that feeds my soul. As long as Dogecoin stays stable, I’ll be fine.
Bye for now. Please like and subscribe.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

Story by James Coburn, Staff Writer

Cori Roney helps patients live their lives as happy as they can be.
Her career as a registered nurse comforts lives as the director of nursing at St. Ann’s Skilled Nursing & Therapy, located in Oklahoma City.
There are many opportunities to learn about a myriad of modalities in patient care at St. Ann’s.
“One is their personalities, just like you get to know about your friends — what they like and what they dislike. Their ups and downs, what helps them relax. So even if I’m having a bad day, you still have your family here and they can bring you out of it. It ups your spirits because they are here.”
Her grandfather was in a nursing home. So, she empathizes with families on their journey into long-term care. It helps her to take pride in her work knowing families can take comfort in knowing their loved one is safe and secure when living at home is no longer the best option in care.
Roney began her career as a licensed practical nurse after graduating from the Western Technology Center in Burns Flat. She later graduated from Oklahoma City Community College with a nursing degree. She started in home health and progressed into wound care. Her RN license brought her to a totally skilled facility. She worked at a hospital but wanted to get to know her patients better so she ventured into a skilled rehab facility where she could see patients improve with smiles on their faces when returning home.
Teamwork is a story of success at St. Ann’s Skilled Nursing & Therapy. She accepted her new career challenge at St. Ann’s in January of 2020. A lot of the staff were new last year when the COVID pandemic emerged throughout Oklahoma. Roney is grateful to work where nurses radiate a caring spirit about the residents.
How St. Ann’s nursing staff responded to the pandemic touched Roney’s heart with grace. Families have been very supportive throughout all of life’s challenges. They are like family, too. Life is more of a celebration at St. Ann’s.
“We have birthdays, and our staff will go buy them birthday presents of what patients like. They enjoy seeing them happy,” she said. “Our nurses are really compassionate, and you can’t teach compassion. It’s a natural personality trait. It’s easy to train somebody their skills, but not to have compassion.”
Roney recalls a patient who had COVID. She had spent a month hospitalized and it was touch-and-go regarding her survival. The woman returned to St. Ann’s and is stronger than ever. Seeing someone’s health overcome dark struggles is one of the reasons to be a nurse, Roney said,
“Something that has changed my life, my perspective while being at this facility is the support that we have gotten from our families in the community during the hard times,” she continued.
The past year represents one thread of a career that flourished while helping others. As a child she would watch TV shows about medicine. The nurses portrayed seemed so awesome. She earned her CNA license when in high school. It was a natural fit for a teenager who enjoyed making other people feel better.
“I just like taking care of people. If I can make their day better, I feel like I’ve done my job,” she explained.
She has a lot of praise for certified nurse aides. They are the hardest workers, Roney said.
Having been a CNA deepened her understanding of the dignity of life. Being a nurse means more than taking care of a patient, she said. Patients are people with individualized needs.
“Some people prefer to have their hair fixed, smell good and to wear nice clothes,” she said. “That’s their preference and it is a dignity. Most of the geriatrics, when they grew up, they dressed to impress all the time.
That has helped me as a nurse when looking at the smaller things.”
Small things like wearing glasses, how residents rest in bed matter to them. And Roney said if she didn’t start out as a CNA that she might have missed that.
About 50 percent of CNAs become nurses at St. Ann’s, Roney said. But some of them don’t.
“They love what they do. That’s their calling.”
St. Ann’s offers a nursing scholarship through the Bridges program. Each employee also has an educational fund with options that Bridges will pay for.
“That’s what I feel like is really good about this facility is we’re home-grown and we like to grow people.”
For more information visit: www.stannsok.com.

Story by Darl DeVault contributing editor

Renowned Oklahoma Osage sculptor Shan Gray died in September at age 65, but his legacy as the most prolific artist of the Oklahoma Centennial Commemoration will live on in the state with his iconic bronze masterpieces of public art.
Gray was hitting his stride as a prolific figurative portrait sculptor when Oklahoma planned its Centennial Commemoration for 2007— a statewide, multiyear celebration of the state’s 100th birthday. Commemoration organizers Lee Allan Smith and Blake Wade drafted Gray into sculpting multiple, larger-than-life public art projects, which became a legacy to his talent.
“Gray’s sculpture of the Shannon Miller statue in Edmond is truly the Oklahoma standard for excellence,” said Joel Randell, Gray’s sculpting protege. Gray’s Warren Spahn statues and award put his contribution to Oklahoma art at the level of Paul Moore’s Centennial Land Run Monument masterpiece and Harold Holden’s legacy, Randell added, and his Billy Vessels and James Garner bronze sculptures in Norman illustrate some of the state’s best of the human form in motion. (story continues below)

Completing eight bronze sculpting projects for the 2007 celebration, Gray was the most prolific of the individually commissioned Oklahoma Centennial artists. He collaborated with John Free Jr. in the casting of his heroic statues at Free’s Bronze Horse Foundry in Pawhuska.
The largest of Gray’s public art creations is the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial near the southwest corner of Reaves Park in Norman. A striking and complex memorial, the work accentuates the clean lines of an obelisk topped by an oversized eagle landing with an American flag.
The statue of the University of Oklahoma’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Vessels, is displayed in Heisman Park just east of Jenkins Avenue and the football stadium. Also in Norman, his bronze likeness of famous Norman son and movie star James Garner enhances the downtown area on East Main Street at the railroad tracks.
“For all of these works,” Gray said at the dedication of the Garner statue, “I was striving to accurately capture the detail and dynamics of the spirit or movement in the human figures in the unmoving bronze to carry off the illusion of bringing the monument to life. I have always said my sculpting style is rooted in the classical tradition.”
A cluster of Gray’s efforts is outside the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City, including the nine-foot-tall bronze depiction of Warren Spahn in his famous high-kicking windup. Spending his final decades in Tulsa, Spahn is the winningest lefty pitcher in major league history. Gray’s busts of other Oklahomans—New York Yankee pitcher Allie “Super Chief” Reynolds and St. Louis Cardinal Pepper Martin—are near the third-base gate at the ballpark.
Gray’s works include a tribute to the three former Miss Americas who attended Oklahoma City University. At the southeastern entrance to the OCU campus, Jane Jayroe, Susan Powell and Shawntel Smith beam in their pageant evening gowns.
The Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute on the campus of Baptist Integris Hospital displays a bust of its namesake medical inventor and heart surgeon. The sculpture is on the ground floor of the main hospital building.
In Edmond’s Shannon Miller Park, Gray’s bronze sculpture honors the seven-time Olympic medalist from Edmond. The 19-foot bronze was the largest statue of a woman athlete in America at its completion.
In Edmond’s J.L. Mitch Park, Gray erected a bronze Girl Scout statue titled ‘95 Years and Planting.’ It depicts a small girl planting a tree in the park.

Idaho artist, Cary Schwarz, will join some of the finest traditional cowboy artists for the 23rd Annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, October 1-2, 2021.
Showcasing the best of saddlemaking, bit and spur making, silversmithing and rawhide braiding from the members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, the exhibition will open to the public Friday, October 1, 2021, and the sale will take place on October 2. All pieces will remain on exhibit and available for purchase at the Museum through January 2, 2022. The sale will take place on October 2.
Each year the TCAA exhibition gives Schwarz the opportunity to reflect on his journey as a founding member. From the very earliest conversations about what would become the TCAA, to the elaborate education programs of today, it’s been a tremendous journey. Before the founding of the association, Schwarz would stumble into his peers and mentors in the saddle business every few years. Now he interacts with them on a weekly basis, offering a depth of support and advice to one another. To view the catalog, visit TCAA (nationalcowboymuseum.org). To sponsor the event or place a proxy bid for art, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/tcaa. Proxy service is also available by contacting Trent Riley at (405) 839-7097 or triley@nationalcowboymuseum.org.

By Nick Thomas

If you were a child growing up during the 1960s and a fan of sci-fi television of the day, the nostalgic value of shows like “Lost in Space” can’t be overstated. Cast members Bill Mumy and Angela Cartwright recognize the connection many seniors may have to the series and have updated and expanded their 2015 “Lost (and Found) in Space” book into a new volume, released September 14 (see www.NCPBooks.com).
“The new book is now 350 pages and contains over 900 photographs,” said Bill Mumy, who played plucky junior astronaut Will Robinson in the series, from his home in Los Angeles. “The original was largely a scrapbook with a few captions, but this one contains a lot more stories about the show as well as the intertwining lives of Angela and me who have remained friends for over 50 years. Much of the credit for the expanded book goes to (the late producer, director, and screenwriter) Kevin Burns.”
Angela Cartwright (the show’s genial and imaginative space-teen Penny Robinson) says Burns called her after acquiring the CBS photo archives of the show.
“We were planning to update the book with maybe 50 additional pages, but it ended up so much more with all these never-before-seen photos,” she explained from her Los Angeles art studio. “Bill and I got on the phone and began writing down all the personal memories the photos brought back.”
“I was 10 when the show began,” recalled Bill. “Angela and I were at school together for 4 years, we went through puberty together, we became each other’s first loves, traveled the world together, and went on to have our own families. So it’s both a book on ‘Lost in Space’ and our long friendship.”
Why the show, and science fiction in general, remains so popular with audiences is no mystery to Mumy. “Sci-fi is just a canvass for the imagination. And because our show had children, kids watching could relate to those characters and go along on the space adventures with us each week.”
After the 3-season show ended in 1968, Mumy and Cartwright continued to act including cameos in the new Netflix “Lost in Space” series. But both have enjoyed successful careers beyond the screen in other artistic areas. Mumy is a respected musician and singer/songwriter (see www.billmumy.com) while Cartwright is a noted photographer and painter (see www.angelacartwrightstudio.com). However, the pair never distanced themselves from the iconic sci-fi series.
“The props, the cast, the stories – I loved every minute working on the show,” recalled Bill. “We’ve been living through a hard time on this planet lately, so a little nostalgia can take you back to a happy time. ‘Lost in Space’ even inspired people to go into the space program.”
“When we visited NASA to watch the Discovery liftoff, an experience I’ll never forget, that’s what technicians told us,” added Angela. “We just made this little show but it really captured the imagination of the youth of the day. Now, people in their 50s and 60s have introduced it to their children and grandchildren. In 30 or 40 years when we’re all no longer around, there will probably be new generations still watching it with fond memories. So we’re grateful for the fans and hope the book brings back a snippet of their childhood.”
And as the stars have aged, so have their fans. “That’s a special connection we have with them,” noted Angela. “They’ve even been very forgiving about my white hair!”
“We’ve told our story and told it honestly,” said Bill. “‘Lost in Space’ just makes people happy.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Jerry Almufleh still remembers getting out of school in the afternoons and heading to the dialysis center to sit with his grandmother while she received dialysis.
There would be good days and there would be bad days while Almufleh watched his loved one go through renal failure.
And he always wished there was something more he could do to make things easier.
“Doing that, sometimes three days a week, I got intrigued. I wanted to learn more and I built relationships with the nurses and the doctors,” he said.
Eventually, that curiosity would be rewarded at age 19 with a job on the dialysis unit. Positions in long-term care, home healthcare and hospice would follow, but his driving focus was always helping make life easier for those battling health issues.
That’s why he and his wife, Alison, started SilverLeaf, a cannabis and CBD dispensary that takes a person-centered approach to making everyday life better.
The passage of State Question 788 in 2018 paved the way for medical marijuana in Oklahoma.
For more than two years Oklahomans have turned to the licensed and regulated industry for treatment of a variety of conditions.
But while new stores seemingly pop up every week, none have taken an approach like SilverLeaf. (story continues below)

“I would love to see this model flourish because we hear the testimonials. Not only the medicine, because we know what we’re looking for but just the experience overall,” Jerry said. “Really all it is is to treat people like they’re humans, empathize, sympathize with them, listen to them and always do your very best. That’s where we’re getting a lot of the trust.”
Customers coming to SilverLeaf are greeted by their first name. It’s just the tip of the iceberg as Jerry and his wife take the time to find out exactly what their client needs are.
“I get to help them in a more natural way,” said Alison who previously worked in admissions in long-term care. “Working in long-term care you see the downgrade, someone come in and decline. But being there every day they become part of your family.”
“Now when I get to be with the patients they walk in and they’re happier.”
Cannabis enjoys the distinction as one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, dating back several thousand years.
But the discovery of its vast medicinal purposes has only occurred in the last half-century.
“It’s hard to believe that just the last 60 years we got it right,” Alison said. “We’re finally figuring it out.”
SilverLeaf operates more like a clinic than a store.
Having spent the better part of their lives working with seniors, both Jerry and Alison know the importance of establishing trust especially when it comes to helping customers who are struggling with chronic issues.
Jerry estimates more than 60 percent of his time is spent in teaching.
“The education is understanding the background of whatever diseases they’re battling, understanding the side effects and the pros and cons,” said Jerry, who frequently provides presentations to independent and assisted living facilities. “This is not what they were taught back in the day. The main message we want to get out is there is a more natural, safer way.”
In the realm of constant pain or anxiety, there’s little argument now that cannabinoids provide safe, natural symptom relief.
“(Constant pain) shouldn’t have to be that way. What quality of life is that,” Jerry asked. “We have a passion for seniors. I feel seniors should live their life to the fullest to the last day. They shouldn’t have to succumb to sedation and seclusion.”
Silverleaf Dispensary specializes in senior care and dosing. It is very important that you know the correct delivery methods and dosage to consume, that’s why Silverleaf is a Certified Cannacian and can walk you through the process of obtaining optimal health through CBD and Cannabis.
The working relationship between Almufleh and physicians often results in customers being able to decrease dosages or even go off of pharmaceutical medications entirely.
In some instances, evening prescription medications designed to sedate patients for the purpose of sleep can be replaced by quality CBD products.
“We understand we may be ahead of our time in terms of (medical marijuana),” Jerry said. “It’s now that we’re starting to see those poles shift. We have a whole demographic counting on us.”
“There needs to be an atmosphere and a place where people can come down and truly get what they need instead of being rushed through dispensaries like cattle,” he said. “We feel like we needed to develop that place and here we are.”
For more information visit: https://silverleaf-ok.com or go by and say hello at 5300 North Meridian Avenue Suite 12 in Oklahoma City.

The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is proud to host its annual quilt show during the entire month of October. The exhibit is open during normal hours of operation and there is no charge to see the special exhibit. The beautiful works of art on display include both heirloom quilts and modern quilts. The Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild and Pawnee Bill Quilt Guild members are instrumental in putting together this yearly event.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday and Monday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about the quilt show or other programs, please call 918-762-2513 or email pawneebill@okhistory.org.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

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Visit the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion this October for the History and Haunts after-hours tour! These evening tours of the historic home will take place October 2, October 9 and October 15. All tours will begin at 7 p.m. with a brief introduction in the carriage house followed by a tour of the mansion in its nighttime splendor. Guests will learn the history of the home and its former occupants, and discover why some say they are still roaming the halls! The tour will allow time for guests to explore the historic home on their own. Tickets are $20 per person and are now available for purchase on the Preservation Oklahoma website, www.preservationok.org/shop. The History and Haunts tours will be limited to 25 guests per night, masks are required and tickets are nonrefundable.
Preservation Oklahoma, Incorporated, is the state’s only private, nonprofit membership organization that is dedicated to promoting, supporting and coordinating historic preservation activities throughout the state. Preservation Oklahoma’s mission is to promote preservation statewide. Founded in 1992, Preservation Oklahoma is a statewide partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and works on joint projects with the Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. More information can be found at www.preservationok.org. The Overholser Mansion is an affiliate of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, Inc., the non-profit 501c-3 organization that oversees the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, started a project two years ago to have wreaths placed during the Christmas holiday season on all graves of Oklahoma’s fallen law enforcement officers. During the research to locate the graves of Oklahoma’s fallen officers it was found that the final resting place of just over one hundred of the over eight hundred fallen officers was unknown.
Most of the unknown burial sites are those of Deputy U.S. Marshals, their posses or guards, or tribal law enforcement officers who died before Oklahoma statehood. Over forty percent of all the Deputy U.S. Marshals who have died in the line of duty in the United States died in what is now the state of Oklahoma and are honored on the state’s law enforcement memorial.
The memorial organization ordered a new granite stone, and it was recently placed just south of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial plaza. This beautiful new granite stone is in honor of all the fallen officers whose final resting place is unknown.
A wreath will be placed at the new stone in mid-December during the annual Wreaths for the Fallen ceremony.
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is the oldest state memorial honoring its fallen officers in the United States and was dedicated May 15, 1969. The non-profit memorial organization is totally funded by donations.
The memorial is located on the west grounds of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Headquarters, 3600 M. L. King Avenue in Oklahoma City.
For more information on these officers or the other over eight hundred officers who have died in the line of duty in Oklahoma go to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial website at www.oklemem.com.