Clyde Wayne Gudgel

A celebratory service will be held in fond remembrance of Clyde Wayne Gudgel, 67, of Durant on Friday evening June 5, 2009 at the Massey Building located at 200 W. Main Street in Durant at 7:00 PM. The family of Clyde will greatly appreciate the encouragement of your presence as this will be a time where memories of how he has touched your lives will be shared. Clyde, with loving family members nearby, passed from this earthly life and entered the loving embrace of his Savior on the morning of Saturday, May 30, 2009 after a long, hard-fought battle with major health complications and cancer. He was a fighter and a giver until the end, and he possessed a strong confidence that his death would truly not be “the end”, but only the beginning of his much-anticipated eternal celebration. He will be respectfully remembered with smiles, chuckles, and joy-filled tears. Clyde entered this world on July 8, 1941 in Matoy, Oklahoma and, although he was birthed into a life of severe hardship, he was lovingly adopted by E.L. (Jack) and Molly Gudgel at the age of five. His life continued to be a testimony of God’s goodness and miraculous intervention time and time again in the face of more challenges than most people will ever endure. However, he kept a vibrant spirit, and his faith was real, honest, and practical. He found great encouragement through his friends and family, and especially through the very special bond he had developed over twenty years with his loving wife, Pamela. Clyde had a love for our country which was evidenced by his service in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was very knowledgeable about history and loved to talk about it with adults and children alike. He visited every state in the nation, and traveled abroad extensively. He was also a helicopter pilot, a truck driver, and a heavy equipment operator by vocation. Clyde loved people and he “never met a stranger”. He loved to make anyone, of any age, feel special and honored. He was a jokester and a very gifted storyteller and was a founder of several bands. He had a laid-back style, and in his later years, he loved to entertain his grandchildren with fun, and often off-the-cuff songs. Although he was gifted with the ability to play many musical instruments, his favorite was the bass guitar. He blessed many people with his instrumental gift, songwriting and singing. It is believed that his best songs were ones that God gave to him instantly just as he picked up his guitar and began strumming. Clyde was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Gene and Kenneth Hathcoat; and sister, Cleta Bridges. He is survived by and will be greatly missed by his sister, Billi Ruth Harruff; his wife of the home for twenty years, Pamela Dunn Gudgel; his first wife of 17 years, Maurice Ellis Gudgel and their daughter, Serena Gudgel Beasley and son in law, Jeremiah; son, Chris Jackson; daughter Mandi Jackson Peebles and son in law, Bo; grandchildren, Jolie and Jacoby Jackson and Bailey and Hank Peebles; numerous nieces and nephews, including one special niece, Karen McKenzie. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownsfuneralservice.com. For further service information, please call 580-931-7522. Brown’s Funeral Service, Durant and Texoma Cremation Service are handling the arrangements. PDF Printable Version

Clyde Wayne Gudgel

July 9, 1941 - May 30, 2009