Gilmer N. Capps

1932 - 2019

Senator Gilmer N. Capps
January 18, 1932 - August 27, 2019

FREDERICK
Gilmer Neely Capps passed away on August 27, 2019, in Oklahoma City, where he was being treated at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital. He was born January 18, 1932, in Tillman County, Oklahoma, to J. Gilmer and Mary Neely Capps of Tipton, Oklahoma. He was a graduate of Snyder High School where he met Wanda Lou Miller, whom he married on January 27, 1951. He attended Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) before returning to take over the Capps Farm and Ranch in Southwest Oklahoma.
Gilmer and Wanda have two children, Cynda Capps Ottaway and husband, Larry D. Ottaway, of Oklahoma City, and Gilmer John Capps and wife, Darcy Capps, of Medicine Park, Oklahoma. Gilmer was preceded in death by Wanda after 56 years of marriage and partnership in life.
In 2008 Gilmer married Shirley Griffin Capps. They moved from Snyder to Frederick, Oklahoma, and enjoyed 12 happy years of marriage.
Gilmer is survived by his wife, daughter, son, four grandchildren, Lauren Ottaway Johnson and husband, Rich Johnson, Girard Capps and wife, Elizabeth Capps, Brielle Capps and Holden Capps, one great-granddaughter, Peyton Capps, and a soon to be born great-granddaughter, Nora Capps.
His extended family includes Sherri and Doug Jacobs and family, Derek, Paige, Dalton, and Tucker, Tami and Tim Lewis and family, Bryce, Brady, and Ty, Lendsie and Nick Lovren, and family, Sydney, Quinn, Eva and Henry, Hillari Krueger and son, Berlin, Kelsey Ballou, Brady and Bill Dangilan, and family, Bristol, Swayzie, and Foster. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Sue Mullins, and his brother, John Capps.
In addition to his farming and ranching, he was well known throughout the state for his service in the Oklahoma State Senate, where he served for 36 consecutive years until retiring in 2006. Gilmer was the Dean of the State Senate, a title bestowed on him as the most senior senator. He served as Chair of the Southern Legislative Conference where he made life-long friends from around the country. He loved meeting people and helping his friends and constituents. During the many years spent at the Capitol, he stayed close to his roots in southwest Oklahoma and always enjoyed returning to his farm and beloved Black Angus cattle.
The family would like to express their appreciation to all of his doctors and caregivers with special thanks to Dr. Dwayne Schmidt for taking care of Gilmer for 30 plus years.
Family will be available to greet friends on September 2, 2019, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home of Snyder, Oklahoma. Services will be at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 3, 2019, at First Baptist Church, Snyder, Oklahoma with burial to follow at Fairlawn Cemetery, Snyder.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation or your favorite charity.
An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at: www.beckerfuneral.com