Donald (Don/Donnie) Wayne Crabtree, 80, of Oklahoma City, OK passed away on June 26, 2022. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jackie, parents Ira and Pauline (Stith) Crabtree, Father and Mother-In-Law, Francis and Leonora Tipton, nephew James P Howell Jr. He is survived by his son, Chris Crabtree and wife Melanie, daughter Tammy and husband Don Walden and grandson Ryan Walden, brother Roger (Dale) Crabtree and wife Joan, niece Cathy Howell, nephew Donald Dale Crabtree and wife Rita, great nieces Emily Brown and Erin Starling.
Don was born in Wilson, NC where he attended Fike High School. He was a starting lineman on the 1958 state champion football team. After high school, he attended The Citadel where he also played football. He then joined the Air Force in September of 1962. While in the Air Force, he traveled the world. Ironically, he hated to fly so he became a military policeman and accident investigator. He ended his tour at McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS. That’s where he met his wife, Jackie. They were married in 1966. He worked for Santa Fe in Wichita and was transferred to Oklahoma City in 1972. He worked for different trucking/rail companies as a logistics manager until he retired.
He enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends, vacationing with friends, making yard art, decorating the house and yard for various holidays, golfing, boating, fishing, camping, coaching little league football/baseball, watching John Wayne movies, old westerns and Perry Mason shows, watching his grandson play sports, telling stories and most of all loving his wife and kids.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his honor to the Oklahoma Palliative & Hospice Care and/or American Heart Association. Visitation will be Thursday, June 30, 2022 from 1PM to 8PM with family receiving visitors from 6-8PM. Services to celebrate his life will be Friday, July 1, 2022, 10AM, in the funeral home chapel with burial at 2PM at Ft. Sill National Cemetery.
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