February 24, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma Former GPB CEO remembered for generosity and determined spirit born. But as they had a family, I think they wanted to be closer to their families here in Oklahoma and in Texas. The Boom was hap- pening then and I think they saw that opportunity, too. Dad took ajob with a bank that also ended up closing, but they stayed here,” Ford recounted. Harris became a loan officer for the Bank of Western Oklahoma. “[just remember being so excited as alittle girl to get to go to the bank to see Dad and get suckers. I didn’t even really understand what the bank was, but I loved going up there,” Ford laughed. When Ford was in the sixth grade, Harris left the Bank of West- ern Oklahoma for a position with Great Plains National Bank. By the mid-90s, Harris had been promoted from president of the bank to CEO. During the early years, he oversaw the construction oftheir flagship location on Third Street. While it is now a gorgeous build- ing, the location started out with trailers where customers could start accounts and apply for loans. Now Elk City alone has three lo- cations as well as an executive building. Other branches have been established all over western Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle and now the Oklahoma City metro. Harris was known for taking risks and having faith in customers who sometimes could not get loans Art Harris elsewhere. The imprint he left upon commerce within Beckham County alone will stand for decades. By Shonda Little “Dad was a people person and generally liked almost everyone,” ‘There were 52 couples who entered their pictures on Ford said. “If he didn’t like someone, you would know it. He was ‘The Elk City News FaceBook page for the “This is Love” On February 25, 2015, Elk City lost a pioneer in modern banking genuine in that way. He taught me a lot about finances and just Valentine giveaway. Magaly and Neal Bieri, from Elk amid the often precarious booms and busts that coincide with an taking care of things, so he was serious in that way. But he also re- City, were the winners of the 2nd place gift bag valued oilfield and agriculture based community. ally enjoyed helping people. Not every loan he made was just about at $150. Those merchants who donated gifts and gift For Elk City High graduate Lyndi (Harris) Ford and her siblings, making money. He liked being able to help people. He was gener- certificates to the Bieri couple include, Pedro’s Mexi- they simply lost their dad. ous. It was nothing for him to pick up a restaurant tab for people can Grille, Broadway Flowers, Boomtown Grill, Sonic, Art Harris was a mountain of a man in every sense. Towering who may have never known it was him. He would just tell the wait- ‘The Elk City News, and Monterrey’s Mexican Food, in well above six feet with an infectious laugh and learned opinion on ress to give him so and sos bill.” Burns Flat. A big “Thank You” goes to each of them for almost everything, Harris was hard to be missed. Harris was also involved in civic events. For approximately a de- their generosity. Staff photo by Neva Pyatt. Born in Oakland, California on October 4, 1944, to military par- cade or more, he served on the board of directors for the Elk City ents, he spent his formative childhood years in Seymour, Texas. Rodeo of Champions. After graduating from his hometown high school, he started col- “He really liked being with the other guys on the board. They Volunteers praise local resi- lege on a football scholarship to Texas A&M before transferring went to Las Vegas to the National Finals Rodeo for many years. to Texas Tech after a knee injury. Though he was a lifelong sports He got to be on there with his best friend, Debs Phelps. Those two enthusiast, he chose to pursue a different passion for a career — spent alot of time together traveling. Dad had a lot of close friends. dents for helping the needy finance. The industry took him to work for the FDIC in the 1970s He kept in touch with people from his early banking days in Qua- where he met his future wife Jan while they both were doing the nah, Texas. He really valued his friendships and that is something during snowstorm tedious labor of shuttering banks during the economic downturns that I saw in him and think I got from him,” Ford explained. of the decade. In 2010, Harris was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Ford “The FDIC took him all over. He worked in Michigan, Arizona, was alone with him in the room when Dr. Pena, formerly with the South Carolina where he met mom, Georgia where my brother was See Harris page 2. Elk City man charged with multiple felonies after police say he broke into a home and stole checks Kendrick Sullivan and father Frank loading boxes of food. By Shonda Little she go to the bank to determine if any of the missing checks had Courtesy photo, been used. ‘A47-year-old Elk City man is facing three new felony charges and ‘he following day, December 15, the officer spoke with another By Shonda Little one misdemeanor after an investigation by the Elk City Police De- fellow officer who informed him that, during an unrelated arrest of partment found that he had broken into a home, stole checks and ‘Waggoner on December 10, he had recovered checkbooks from IBC In last week’s Elk City News, local resident Merideth Tani Little then cashed several at local businesses, a probable cause affidavit bank with the alleged victim’s name. He also noticed pay stubs from spoke of the expansive volunteer operation she and other generous claims. the 1980s for a person with the same last name as the victim. volunteers undertook to ensure that those without proper shelter, Charles Harold Waggoner faces one count of second-degree bur- At that time, the other officer had gone to the alleged victim’s food and heat during last week’s historic snowstorm and freezing glary, one count of possession of a forged instrument, one count daughter and asked how Waggoner would have obtained them. temperatures were safe. of conspiracy and one count of uttering a forged instrument. Each ‘The woman said that she had just discovered that her mother’s Little went to great lengths to emphasize the assistance of others, charge carries jail time ranging from one year in the county jail up residence had been broken into. The woman explained that the pay- including her primary co-organizer Patsy Sullivan. to ten years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. The most check stubs were her father’s and must have been stolen out of the With temperatures now back above freezing and the snow melt- serious charge is conspiracy. filing cabinet. The woman then explained that her mother was in ing, Sullivan has finally had a brief amount of time to further detail ‘The investigation began at approximately 9:26 p.m. on December the nursing home, but that she had power of attorney. the extent of their efforts. Not only did the two women and their 14, 2020, when an officer was dispatched to the 1900 block of West ‘The officer later received the woman's statement form. In that legion of donors and volunteers put approximately 100 people in ap- 7th Street in Elk City in reference to a burglary that had allegedly statement, she said that she also noticed that three fur coats were proximately 50 hotel rooms within Elk City, they even hauled items occurred in the trailer park. missing from her mother's residence. The woman also brought four and funds to those in need in Oklahoma City. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the alleged victim who ex- copies of checks along with signed and notarized affidavits of a For Sullivan, the effort was near to her heart not only because she plained the residence belonged to her mother. The woman said her forged signature that the woman had received from IBC bank. felt called by her faith, but she also knows first hand what is like to mother is currently staying at Elkwood Assisted Living Center. ‘Three of the checks were written to Gabriel Abud for the amounts. be in the position of those who were in need. ‘The woman said that she had sent her son to the residence to of $550, $950 and $950. “T feel kind of bad now looking back on it, but my inspiration ac- turn on the water to prevent the pipes from freezing. At that time, ‘The fourth check was written to an illegible name for the amount tually came while I was talking to my mom on the phone,” Sullivan her son noticed that the back door had been pried open and then of $40. recounted. “She was talking about just how bad she felt for all the contacted his mother, ‘The officer then went to speak with Abud who gave permission to people who were out in this storm and I kind of had the poor atti- ‘The woman said her mother’s filing cabinet had been gone enter his residence and speak with him. The officer informed Abud tude that we are all the CEOs ofour own lives and that they should. through and it appeared that several checks and other paperwork that he wanted to speak with him about “bad checks” that appeared change things in their lives to get out of that. But then after we got had been taken. She further noticed that an ammunition box had to have his signature on them. off the phone, it was like God spoke to me and really humbled me. been opened and was missing ammunition. The woman was unsure Abud then allegedly said that he had been approached by a man 1 was disappointed in myself that I had felt that way to begin with. when the residence had been broken into as no one had been inside who was currently in custody. He reportedly identified the man as. Tam normally a very caring person and God told me that I needed it for about a month. Waggoner. to be my brother's keeper. A lot of people don’t know this about my ‘The officer observed the interior of the home to be in disarray He claimed that Waggoner had asked him to help cash these own childhood, but I had time asa child that I was in a shelter with with miscellaneous items and papers scattered. He also observed checks because Abud had a banking account, the report states. my siblings. In fact, you can only stay at a certain shelter for so long, pry marks on the back door and that the screws that had secured “Mr. Abud said that he was told by Waggoner that he got the so we were moved to a different shelter after being at the first one the lock to the back door had been ripped out. checks out ofa house. Mr. Abud explained that when he received ‘The officer left the woman with a statement form and asked that See Waggoner page 2. too long. My parents had some struggles in See their life and have Volunteers page 2. Vol. 119, No. 16 a Te Weather tomorrow 43 /32 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com