DAVID F. CHILDERS

DAVID F. CHILDERS Funeral services for David F. Childers will be held at 10:00 am Monday November 10,n2025 in the Craddock Memorial Chapel with Brother Mark Kunkel officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, November 10, 2025, at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Caddo, Oklahoma with Mark Morris, Jeremy Faulkner, Eric Faulkner, Robert Patton, Ryan Patton, and Creek Hohnson serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Childers, Marion Ogle, Bill Barfield, Kenneth McGee, Phil Jance, and all of the other Oklahoma Natural Gas retirees. David, known as "Papa David" to all 'HIS' kids passed away on November 5, 2025, at the age of 98 years. He was born under a shade tree between Caney & Caddo, Oklahoma on August 14, 1927, to Roy Childers & Minnie (McDonald) Childers. He was the sixth of seven children born to them. He lived a life marked by hard work, humility, and a love that stretched beyond the bounds of family. Papa's formal education ended as quickly as he started the third grade. He began school that year but made the decision to return to the fields to help support his family. Although he sometimes felt that his lack of formal schooling made him "less," his life proved otherwise. He built a legacy not through books, but in sweat, grit and kindness. At just 15 years old, he walked 25.7 miles from Caddo, Oklahoma to try and get a job working on the construction of the Roosevelt bridge at Lake Texoma. Upon his arrival to the jobsite the company man asked him how old he was to which his honest reply was "I'm fifteen years old sir" the company man said, "Well son, you've got to be sixteen to work on this project." That same honesty and perseverance became his lifelong legacy. He held many jobs in his life including picking 1,000 boles of cotton by hand daily, driving mule teams, landscaping, building custom homes, working a long career with Oklahoma Natural Gas and lastly retiring at age 93 from the Caddo Public Schools. He was living proof of his saying, "If you rest you rust." More than his work career, it was his heart that defined him. In his first marriage he became the father of two sons: Ronald "Ronnie" Childers and Donald "Don" Childers. He later married Nova (Urich) Childers & together they shared 41 years of marriage, walking through both joy and sorrow. The two of them met while bowling which was a shared past time. He fully accepted Nova's children and grandchildren as his own. Known for his gentle spirit and quiet strength, he was also fiercely protective of what was right. He spent several years as Santa's stunt double during company Christmas parties & at the Caddo Community Center. He lived with integrity, compassion and courage. Those who knew him will always remember him as a giant even though he was less than six feet tall. He is preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, his son Ronnie Childers and his daughter-in-law Bobbi Childers, His bonus children Rayleen Camplain & Jean Camplain, & his granddaughter Chyenne Madewell. He is survived by his wife Nova of the home, his son Don & wife Connie Childers of Ardmore, Oklahoma, his bonus children Steven & wife Cynthia Camplain of Ringling, Oklahoma, Craig & wife Cindy Johnson of Pinedale, Wyoming and Lorie Patton of Caddo, Oklahoma also many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild & a host of nieces and nephews as well. As Aaron Watson once sang, "Today he joined up with Jesus wearing shiny pearl snaps...I bet he's walking with Pete down a street paved with gold, showing off his brand-spankin' new wings and his barbed wire halo." Those who loved him know this is how he stepped into eternityheaven-ready, strong and finally at peace. The family would like to extend great thanks to Terri & all of the Traditions Home Health Care employees as well as the amazing staff with Good Shepherd Hospice. Your care and help during this time has been greatly appreciated.