John Willis Donley
Funeral services for John Willis Donley, 87, Weatherford resident and attorney, will be at 10 a.m. Friday in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton, officiated by Doyle Kinney.
Donley died early Tuesday morning, Feb. 10, 2015, in his Weatherford home. He was born Sept. 26, 1927 in Weatherford, the son of William S. and Mildred (Harrison) Donley.
He grew up on a farm west of Arapaho, where he attended school, graduating in 1946. He soon joined the Army in that same year and was stationed in Kyoto, Japan, with the 35th Medical Station Hospital, where he served as a medical technician.
He received his discharge in 1948 and returned to Oklahoma to complete his education. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a law degree in 1954. He returned to Western Oklahoma and made his home in Clinton.
He was elected for one term as Custer County attorney in 1956. He then began a private practice in Clinton and in 1967 he moved to Weatherford where he practiced until his retirement in 2006.
John shared his life with three special women: Norma Hatchell from 1948 to 1967, Marge (Morris) Lindamood from 1967 to 1975; and Brenda (Rasco) Diacon from 1983 to the present.
Donley was active in numerous organizations throughout his life, some of which were the Custer County Historical Society, Oklahoma Historical Society, Westerners, Westerners International, Custer County Bar Association, Oklahoma Bar Association, Weatherford Chamber of Commerce, Weatherford Library Board, Western Oklahoma Historical Center and Weatherford’s First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Brenda; daughters, Lynda Donley and her husband, Mike Brinkley, of Norman, Susan Hays, of Clinton, Kathy Strickler and her husband, Jim, of Littleton, Colo., Courtney Underwood and her fiancé, Dave Morris, of Edmond; grandchildren, Scott Hays and Ryan Hays, both of Clinton, Cody Kuester and Kyle Kuester, of Colorado, Katie Hays, of Weatherford, Lily Underwood, of Edmond; and his sister, Carolyn Morris, of Clinton.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a daughter, Karen Donley; a brother William C. Donley, and a brother-in-law Scott Morris.
The family has suggested that memorial contributions be made in his honor to the Western Oklahoma Historical Center, 520 W. Main, Weatherford, or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, www.alzfdn.org.
Burial will conclude in the Clinton Cemetery.