Jack Kindred

Funeral Services at the Church of Christ, Temple, OK, Friday, May 27 at 2:00 p.m., Landon Lewis officiating with burial in the Temple Cemetery under the direction of Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Temple. Memorial donations can be made to the Temple Cemetery Association.

John Burdell “Jack” Kindred, Jr. was born November 25, 1922 at Enid, OK, to John Burdell Sr. and Bertha Nell (Hall) Kindred and departed this life on May 22, 2016 in Lawton, OK at the age of 93 years, 5 months and 27 days.

He grew up in the poverty stricken days of the Great Depression, but never felt deprived of anything, and never expected a handout. He worked as a welder on the Panama Canal in 1943 before he was drafted. He then served in the Philippines, in the South Pacific, for U.S. Army Artillery’s 98th Chemical Mortar Battalion as a Forward Observer during WWII.

While he was proud to have been a member of “The Greatest Generation,” he never spoke much of his war experience. He served his country not for recognition, but because it was the “right thing to do.” He believed in the principles of duty, honor, country and family. He worked hard to follow those values all of his life.

Jack had married Louise Faye Keller on December 25th, 1941at Waurika, OK and made Temple their home during most of their 69 years of marriage. He owned and operated Ace Welding in Lawton from 1952 to 1972 when Urban Renewal bought out his shop on “F” Avenue. They eventually moved to the Chickasha area to be near family. He was a longtime member and elder of the Church of Christ in Temple and later attended the Church of Christ in Ninnekah. He was a lifetime member of the VFW and had served as local Post Commander in Temple. He also served 2 terms as Mayor of Temple. He enjoyed horses and horse racing, but family was his passion, especially his kids and grandkids.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 69 years, Louise, in 2011; a son-in-law, Steve Lacefield; a grandson, Brandon Lacefield; 7 brothers, Bruce, Guy, Joe, Gene, Robert, George, and Charles Dan Kindred; 3 sisters, Ruby Riddles, Wilma Lewis and Letha Ruth Smith.

Survivors include 3 daughters, June Forgy and husband Dana of Lawton, Fonda Sanders of Lawton and Jackie Lacefield of Irving, TX and her fiancé Gerald Collier; 2 brothers and their wives, Fred and Launita Kindred of Ft. Worth, TX, Jimmy and Janet Kindred of Andrews, TX; 2 sisters, Lois Ann Willams of Empire, OK and Pat Robbs of Geronimo, OK; 6 grandchildren, Amber Cole, Ashley Konermann, Jon Smith, Cortney Powers, Farrah Butler and Faron Lacefield; 21 great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Thank you nurses, aids and courtesy techs on the Green Wing for your care and compassion during his last year at the Lawton-Ft. Sill Veterans Center.