JEREMIAH RAFFORD

Oct 1, 1986 - Aug 15, 2014 OKLAHOMA CITY On a late Friday evening, Aug. 15, 2014, a husband, father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend, Jeremiah Dale Rafford, was sadly taken from us way too soon. Our sweet carefree Jeremiah was full of life, love and laughter, a bear of a man with a gentle heart. He didn't worry about tomorrow, because his favorite Bible verse was I Peter 5:7: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." He loved his Abby, Nattie and his new baby, Bentlee. He loved his family with all of his heart. His friends were not just friends, they became his brothers and sisters. The color of your skin didn't matter to him, it was the color of your heart. He loved his job being a "Roughneck" for Helmerich and Payne; he called his co-workers his rig brothers. Jeremiah was preceded in death by his Grandfathers Benjamin, Deane and Tom; Grandmother Hazel; brother, Randall; Uncles Howard and Buz; Aunt Karen; and cousins, Gayla, Deanna, and cousin/sister, Belinda. St. Peter said, "Open the gate! Another of ours has come, the ones who came before him, wanted to see our son." Christ said, "Don't fear child, your loved ones they are here. For I needed you here in heaven, to hold your loved ones near. I know, I took you from the ones who thought they needed you most. My child, my son Jeremiah, come sing with the Heaven's host. Don't fear for the ones you've left behind, my angels will guard them well, so come my child, do not be sad, in their hearts, that's where you will dwell!" Jeremiah is survived by his wife, Abra; daughters, Natalie and Bentlee; parents, Allan and Lisa; brothers, Christian and Benjamin; sisters, Stacy, Mariam, Nikki, Jessica, and Autumn; Grammy Charlotte Rafford Howe; nieces, Sydney, Bonnie, Kristian, and Antoinette; Uncles Benjamin, Dean, Lionel, and John; Aunts Dot, Darlene, Jean, and Kim Bradford, Donna, Darlene and Lora; many, many cousins dear to his heart; best friends, Jayce and Joe; countless other friends and rig brothers! Finally, Jeremiah says to us all, "Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything and have no regrets. Life's too short to be anything but happy. I will love you all forever and always." Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014, at the Advantage Funeral Home Chapel. Family visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, also at Advantage Funeral Home.