Dwight Leatherman

Dwight Leatherman, loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend entered the Gates of Heaven peacefully at his home in Ponca City, Oklahoma December 10th, 2018 surrounded by his family following a courageous thirty-month battle with lung cancer. Dwight was born February 2, 1945 in Wichita, Kansas to Floyd and Lula Mae Johnson Leatherman, the baby of six children. He was raised and attended school in Elk City, Oklahoma where his favorite pastime was running with the Appleton boys, whom he considered brothers. He joined the United States Navy in 1963 and his family loved hearing his stories about Spain, California, and South Carolina. Upon return to Elk City, Barbara Sue Parker chased him down and convinced him to go ride around and they were married September 3rd, 1966. The young couple moved to Liberal, Kansas in 1968 where they raised their three daughters; Catrina, Jerri, and Brenda. In 1996 Dwight moved his wife and granddaughter, Tasha, to Ponca City, to be closer to Kaw Lake, his favorite place to fish and camp with his brothers in law JD Ray and Don Parker.

Dwight was a truck driver by trade until he was injured at work in 1992, following his injury he attended the electronic program at Liberal Area Vo-Tech, graduating top of his class in 1994. Dwight was known by many as the driver of the plum crazy purple #16 racecar who was near impossible to beat and he had a large following and enjoyed sharing these memories with his best friend, “YellowBird”. He enjoyed playing slow pitch softball and bowling with his wife in which many of his lifelong friendships blossomed. He was a superb mechanic and was known to build a racecar starting with two saw-horses and square tubing, he could fix any appliance, and his home remodels belonged in a magazine. Dwight spent most of his free time coaching his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren in softball, baseball, basketball, football, and even helped his daughter, Catrina, train to be a golden glove boxer. He enjoyed taking his entire family on week long camping trips at least twice a year where they all spent time on his pontoon hanging limb lines and pulling jugs to get the biggest catfish, even while fighting cancer he was able to pull in an eighteen-pound catfish this past summer.

Dwight loved Sue with every fiber of his being and the two of them acted like love-stricken teenagers including Friday night date nights every week for fifty-two years. Dwight cherished his family and his most favorite place to be was anywhere they all were. He believed in giving people multiple chances, never judging anyone by their past, and was the voice of reason for many. He was very protective over his family and held the individual bonds he had with each of them close to his heart. He became “dad” or “grandpa” to most of the kids he came in contact with and enjoyed the honorary titles immensely.

Dwight is survived and will be missed sorely by: his wife, Sue Leatherman of the home; daughter Brenda and John Taylor of Ponca City; daughter Catrina Leatherman of McCloud, Ok.; grandchildren: Tasha and Gabe Smith; Brandon Queen, Derek Queen, Michael and Laurie Queen, Trevor and April Burns, NaVena Kilgore and Nick Haynes, SaVanna Taylor, and Lacey and Brian Epperson all of Ponca City, Ok and Justin and Ericka Groth, of Garden City, KS; Brothers in Law; Earl Don and Carolyn Parker of Kaw City, and Richard Appleton of Wagoner, OK; sister in law; Lovesta Ray of Liberal, KS; great grandchildren: Gabriel, Kaden, Brenton, Kalyn, Breccan, Bradon, Noah, Kaleah, Ciara, Gabby, Jaythen, Jacob, Manny, Aiden, Amberleigh, Aiden, Anthony, Blaze, Emersyn, Kyrin, Allie, and Carson; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends that he cherished and considered family.

He has been reunited with his daughter, Jerri Leatherman; grandson, Matthew Queen; parents, Floyd Leatherman and Lula Mae Dye; Brothers; JD, Pat, Ronnie, and Donald Leatherman, and sister Gardenia Appleton; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, in laws, nieces, nephews, and friends that he has missed over the years.

Services will be held Monday, December 17th at 2pm at First Church of the Nazarene, 1900 W Grand, Ponca City, OK. The family will be accepting visitors at 1900 Joe St, Ponca City, Ok. Remembrances may be shared online at www.stittsworthfuneralservices.com.