James Wilbur “Pete” Ansley

James Wilbur “Pete” Ansley, 92, of Adams, Oklahoma passed away June 29, 2023, at Wheatridge Park Care Center in Liberal, Kansas.

Pete was born February1, 1931 at the family home in Adams, the son of William Doris and Ethel Mae Serfoss Ansley.

He attended Adams school graduating from Adams High School with the Class of 1949. While in school he played basketball and his junior high team went 32-0, they were never beat. In high school, his junior year, the basketball team went to State and on the way got stuck by a snowstorm. The boys worked to dig themselves out and made it to the game and were given no extra time to warm up. He also played baseball in high school with his brother Roy and in his 20’s he played softball with the Adams town team.

After graduation he went to work for Harold Stebens and learned to be a mechanic. He then worked for Palmer Trucking and for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita. When he came back to Adams, he opened Ansley Repair.

Pete was united in marriage to Beverly Jo “Pug” Starr on October 13, 1951, in Clayton, New Mexico. He enjoyed building and racing his own race cars in the late 50’s and early 60’s and had many drivers including Nut Cokeley and Fred Lee Perry.

Starting in 1969, Pete began to farm, getting his start from Lewis Wall of Adams who sold his farming equipment to Pete and rented out all of his farm ground. From that start Pete kept building his farm up by buying more land and bigger and better equipment.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Roy and his wife of 68 years, Beverly, who passed away in 2019.

Survivors include his three sons, Verle and Kathy Ansley of Marble Falls, Texas, Paul and Christine Ansley of Guymon, Oklahoma, Earl and Amy Ansley of Morris, Oklahoma; two daughters, Lori and Kent Greenlee of Buffalo, Oklahoma, Carol and Monty Cathcart of Hooker, Oklahoma; two brothers, Lemuel “Duke” Ansley of Three Forks, Montana, Elmer and Karen Ansley of Woodward, Oklahoma. He was a proud “Grandpa Pete” to his twelve grandchildren, Jamie and Benny Miller, Kelsey and Todd Hamilton, Lindsay Ansley, Tyler and Camryn Ansley, Nicholas Ansley, Heather Ansley, Megan Ansley and Steven Tyler, Leah Ansley, Jade and Dakota Lamb, Kyra and Trevor Lundgrin, Tate Cathcart, Cole Cathcart; nine great grandchildren, Jase, Rhett and Scarlett Miller, Bella Hamilton, Bryson and Berkley Tyler, Gatlin and Graylin Lamb and Bex Ansley.

Memorials are suggested to the Adams Mennonite Brethren Church and may be left at Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma 73945.

The Ansley family will greet friends on Friday, July 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Roberts Brothers Funeral Home in Hooker, Oklahoma.

Graveside services will be at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, 2023, at Hooker Cemetery near Hooker, Oklahoma with Pastor Odie Nunley officiating.

Services directed by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home in Hooker, Oklahoma.

Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com