REX MCCOOL

November 26, 1933 - July 29, 2014 BETHANY Rex Norman McCool was born the fifth of nine children to Clarence and Camilla (Baldwin) McCool at Swan Lake, near Alfalfa, OK. He grew up in the Carnegie/Mountain View area, attending country schools at Prairie Lone, Fairview, Alfalfa, and Union Corners, and Carnegie High School. He worked hard for farmers in the area and at home. He later traveled with harvest crews as far north as North Dakota and west to Arizona. When he was 21, he accompanied a friend to California, looking for work. He stayed with his sister, Rachel and her husband, Bill Miller of Huntington Beach, while he job hunted. He found two jobs the first day, at a service station and a Buick dealership, detailing cars, etc. He was making more money than he had ever had in his life. After two years, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he received medical training and was assigned as a corpsman at a hospital in Fort Huachuca, AZ for his entire tour of duty. He obtained his high school GED and became a Spec 4. Upon his discharge, he returned to Huntington Beach and his former employment at the service station and Buick. He then wed Patricia Scanlon and three sons were born to them. After some time at Buick, he was recruited by a customer to work as a deputy at the Orange County Marshall's Office. Then, he and Pat began attending services at the Four Square Church of Westminster, where he was baptized at the age of thirty, a life changing experience. As an officer, one of his duties was acting as a Bailiff of the court. He began to notice that most of the crimes being committed by young people were related to drug abuse, so he gave up a job he really liked and moved his family to Springdale, AR, looking for a better environment for his children. The next several years he operated service stations, drove a delivery truck, worked at a trucking company garage, sold insurance for a while, etc. The marriage ended in divorce after almost twenty-five years. He then went to work for First Brands Corporation where he remained until retirement. In the meantime, he met Shirley Richardson at a Prairie Lone Homecoming in 1990. They married April 19, 1991, and remained happily married until his death. Rex was predeceased by his parents, step-father, Oliver McClure, siblings, Rachel Avery, Mildred Lawrence, Philip McCool, and Leo McCool. He is survived by his loving wife, Shirley; brothers, Forest (Joan), Clarence (Bobbie Jo), Earl (Karen); sister, Janice Martin (Donnie); sons, Scott (Pam), Todd, Kelly (Paige); step-children, Steve Richardson (Diane), Tony Richardson, Diane Patterson (Dennis); grandchildren, Megan, Molly, Abigail (Putt), Jake, Faryn, and Cade McCool, Audrey Hall, Lindsey Thomas, Zac Richardson (Sarah), Erick Patterson (Ashley Bowen), Brandon Carney and his mother, Lucy McCool; great-grandchildren, Carrie Hall, Ryder Keith Patterson, and Braydn and Tatum Bowen; and many dear nieces and nephews. His services will be Monday, August 4, 10:00am at Mercer-Adams Chapel, Bethany, with interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Ft. Cobb, OK; officiated by Donna Morton, Minister, Living Waters Church of Meeker, OK, and a special niece. Many thanks to Dr. Showalter and the staff at Integris Cancer Center, Oklahoma County Hospice, and Integris Hospice House doctors and nurses. To share a memoryor condolence, visit www.mercer-adams.com www.mercer-adams.com