Darrell Gene Trissell

Funeral services for Darrell Gene Trissell, 65, former Clinton educator and elementary principal, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. Terrell Mitchell, Rev. Doug Lewis and Rev. Chris Fields.

Trissell died Monday, Oct. 13, 2014, in Integris Clinton Regional Hospital. He was born Dec. 3, 1948 in Elk City, the son of Russell D. and Ann W. (Shelton) Trissell.

Trissell was raised in Washita County in the Port area. He attended his first 11 years of school in Port and graduated from Sentinel High School in 1967.

He continued his education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford and graduated with a Bachelor’s in education in 1971. He married Bonnie Faye Franz on June 19, 1970 in Sentinel.

Trissell began his teaching career in Clinton, teaching sixth grade at Washington Elementary School.
While teaching he continued his education and received his Master’s degree at Southwestern. He served as principal at Southwest Elementary in Clinton, serving Clinton 30 years before retiring in 2001.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church and was a farmer and rancher in Washita, County.

Preceding him in death were his father; a nephew, Brooks Trissell; and a niece, Natalie Trissell.

Survivors include his wife, Bonnie, of the home; a daughter, Tracy Ann Showalter, and her husband, Ronald, of Clinton; his mother, Ann Trissell, of Elk City; a sister, Kathryn Trissell, and a brother, Terry Trissell, and his wife, Sharon, all of Elk City; and a niece, Anna Pesters and her husband, Brett, of New Bronxville, Texas.

The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Darrell Trissell Memorial through the Clinton Public Schools, P.O. Box 729, Clinton, OK 73601 to be used for teacher and classroom needs.

Burial will conclude in the Fairlawn Cemetery in Elk City, under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton.