September 30, 2020 Issue, Page 17 of 24

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 _ 1ke atomtiet ts Wednesday, September 30,2020 Ivester begins new stage in life as city manager Tom Ivester sits at his desk in his office at city hall in Elk City. Staff photo by Don Munsch. Getting to know Tom Ivester: Family: Wife DeAun and three children, ages 12, 15 and 20 Favorite book: “A Painted House” by John Grisham Favorite movie: “Tombstone” Favorite music (genre or band or both): Red Dirt Coun- try Favorite food: Anything that’s good. Fayorite vacation spot: The mountains of Colorado and New Mexico By Don Munsch, Editor profession appealed to him because he saw injustices going Hobbies: Hunting, running, anything outdoors. Tom Ivester said he gave his father a couple of goals after on. he finished high school. Ivester told his father after he graduated from high school that he never wanted wanted to come back to Western Okla- “T thought being a lawyer would help me in being able to do something about it — hey, I could actually do somethingElk City woman about it,” he said. “That was kind of what inspired me to go homa and he was never going to be a lawyer. Well, Ivester’s life turned out differently, but he doesn’t to law school. Quit complaining and go do something about it. That was it.” killed in crash complain. Those injustices, he said, for example, consisted of inci- By Don Munsch, Editor Ivester, 51, a local lawyer, took over as city manager in dents such as when he was in the Army as a platoon leader An Elk City woman was killed in an early morning wreck Elk City in early September after having served as interim and he would see soldiers get mistreated in various ways by Friday in Washita County. city manager since June. He had to quit his law practice in businesses outside the post. Daniell R. Raya, 31, died at the scene. The wreck occurred order to assume duties as the city manager. He joined the Army after graduating from TCU. He was just before 5:20 a.m. on Oklahoma Highway 44, 0.4 miles “T genuinely am excited,” he said about being city man- on active duty for five years. He was stationed in Panama for south of Webb Street in Burns Flat in Washita County, ac- ager. “I like going to work every day still.” 2 % years and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for the other cording to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Born in Sayre and a 1987 graduated of Sayre High School, 2% years. He currently serves in the Oklahoma Army Na- Raya was an occupant in a 2015 Dodge Challenger driven Ivester earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree tional Guard. by unknown subject, OHP said, and that aspect of the crash from Texas Christian University and a law degree from the Ivester did general practice law for 20 years, handling is pending further investigation. The Challenger was south- University of Oklahoma. He earned his master’s degree in mostly civil law cases. He also served in the Oklahoma State strategic studies from the Army War College. Senate for District 26 for eight years, from 2006 to 2014. bound on 44, departed the roadway to the right, struck a culvert and overturned one half time before coming to rest He was originally a nutrition science major at TCU, but Both his background in law and business can help him in as a “typical freshman, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I his current job as city manager, he said. on its top. switched majors a couple of times and ended up liking busi- “One of the things I kind of specialized in law was tax, so I The wreck was investigated by Trooper Aaron Hunter, ness.” do a lot of tax work,” he said. “I think that will help me with who was assisted by Trooper Trent Cagle, Trooper Matt Ivester said he grew up around lawyers and said the legal See Ivester page 2. Ledbetter, Burns Flat Police Department, Woods County Sheriff’s Department and Burns Flat EMS. Ford served generations of Elk City residents Editor’s note: Please see our supplement on frontline Voter registration “The cards that we have received have been really, really workers in this edition. interesting,” Lou said. “We never knew anything about his deadline next week By Cosette Wymer, Contributing writer office because he wouldn’t talk about it.” The annual Labor Day Parade and Rodeo was always an Such stories shared with the family have reassured their Voters have until Oct. 9 to apply for voter registration in event Dr. Gary Lee Ford shared with his family. understanding of the husband, father and grandfather they order to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 3 general election, Every year they sat in their box seats. At the rodeo this all knew and loved. Beckham County Election Board Secretary Sherron Man- year, the people in charge left an ice chest full of snickers Certainly his work in local services and his profession will ning said Thursday in a news release. and Dr Pepper for the family; those were Dr. Ford’s favorite be missed, but his acts of simple kindness will be his legacy. Manning said that people who are United States citizens, treats. Asimple kindness of giving a bear to an introverted child at Oklahoma residents and at least 18 years old may apply to Ford, an optometrist who loved treating patients, died the Kiwanis Kiddies Carnival changed that child’s life, his become registered voters. Aug. 28. He was 75. parents said. “Those who aren’t registered or need to change their reg- Born and raised in Western Oklahoma, Dr. Ford graduated “Gary didn’t do it because he thought he was changing istration may apply by filling out and mailing an Oklahoma from Clinton High School in 1963 and attended Southwest- somebody,” Lou said, quoting the sentiment on one of the Voter Registration Application form in time for it to be post- ern State College (SWOSU) before attending the University cards. “He did it because who he was and it changed some- marked no later than midnight Friday, October 9th,” the re- of Houston College of Optometry. Carol Lou Hinz, a fellow body.” lease stated. Clinton High School Tornadoes, married him in 1967 to start A patient shared when Dr. Ford replaced all of the family’s Applications postmarked after that time will be accepted a 53-year journey together. glasses, contacts and such after their home was lost in a fire. and processed, but not until after Nov. 3, Manning said. Volunteering in the Army, he served two years at Reynolds Elk City was also the perfect home for Dr. Ford and his The County Election Board responds in writing to every Army Hospital at Fort Sill, and that volunteerism continued family as they embraced their love of sports as well as person who submits an application for voter registration. a long practice of serving others as he and Lou settled into church activities. Pawpaw started T-ball in Elk City when The response is either a voter identification card listing the life and his optometry practice in Elk City in 1970. his daughter was old enough to play and participated in it new voter’s precinct number and polling place location or a Besides being actively involved in the First Baptist Church through his grandchildren. The first T-ball park located in the letter that explains the reason or reasons the application for in Elk City for five decades, he taught Sunday School there older part of town was named after him. Gary was a tennis voter registration was not approved. Manning said anyone as well as served on the Elk City Education Foundation, Ki- player but loved his farm and Angus and Hereford cattle as who has submitted a voter registration application and who wanis, HELP, Inc., and the Oklahoma State Board Of Op- well. has not received a response within 30 days should contact tometry. Dr. Ford and his wife were very rural in lifestyle. the County Election Board office. Elk City was a great community for Ford’s practice as he “We were pretty country,” Lou said. Oklahoma Voter Registration Application forms are avail- also served the surrounding communities. He enjoyed im- He and Lou had three children. Their oldest daughter, Toye, able at the County Election Board office located at 306 E. mensely being in such a practice and experiencing the dif- now serves as a registered nurse at Great Plains Regional Main St. in Sayre, and at most post offices, tag agencies and ferent generations as he provided eye care to the area for Medical Center, and has two older children. The younger public libraries in the county. Applications also are available almost 50 years. See Ford page 2. at wwwelections.ok gov. Weather / Vol. 118, No. 79 Mail delivery View online «IL ON tomorrow 75 / 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com