(Buddy) Doyle Gene Zickefoose

Doyle Gene Zickefoose was born May 1, 1940, in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, to Sampson Marion and Vivian Freed Zickefoose of Keystone, Oklahoma. Doyle, better known to family and friends as "Buddy," attended Keystone School through tenth grade. Buddy moved with his parents to Spavinaw where his parents purchased and operated a tourist court. He graduated from Strang High School in Strang, Oklahoma. After high school, Buddy returned to Keystone and gained employment at DX Sunray Refinery in Tulsa. He soon met his future wife, Shirley Farrow of Mannford, Oklahoma. Following a six month courtship, they were united in marriage on October 27, 1959, in Mannford, Oklahoma.

In 1961, Buddy accepted a position with Unit Rig and Equipment Co. He worked there off and on until his retirement in 2001. Buddy and Shirley moved to the Keystone Peninsula Area in 1963, raising their three sons Tony Ray, Troy Gene and Patrick Wayne, where they have continued to make their home.

Between times of employment at Unit Rig, Buddy had a TV shop in Mannford. He also worked at A&H Electric Co. in Tulsa, DelTex in Claremore, Oklahoma, and was the founder of Special Equipment Co. in Tulsa. The last 18 years of his working career, Buddy was the leadman of maintenance at Unit Rig and Equipment Co until the closure of the facility in 2001. Buddy was a mechanic, electrician and electronics technician. He was a troubleshooter; he could find the source of the problem and would fix it. Buddy always had a love for electronics. He took a correspondence course however he was mostly self-taught. He also enjoyed woodworking and gardening, but his first love was his family.

Buddy grew up in the Keystone General Baptist Church in Keystone, where he was saved and baptized at the age of 14. He reaffirmed his faith in Christ in March of 2017. Today and for all eternity, he is with his Lord and Savior!

Buddy passed from this life on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at his home in Keystone, Oklahoma, at the age of 79 years old.

Preceding him in death are his parents, three brothers, Edward Zickefoose and his wife Lela, Carl “Dude” Zickefoose and his wife Norma Jean, Willie Wendell Zickefoose, three sisters, Dortha Cunningham and her husband Jerry, Cleora Pace and her husband Vestor, Vivian “Bobbie” Studebaker and her husband Willard and brother in law Dale Lord. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Shirley of the home, Tony Zickefoose, Troy Zickefoose and his wife Trena and Patrick Zickefoose all of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; seven grandchildren, Jennifer Zickefoose of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Skye and her husband Darryl Stach of Lumberton Texas, Christopher and Jennifer Huff Zickefoose, Jesse Zickefoose, Farrow Ray Zickefoose, Harley Zickefoose, Christine Zickefoose and Reese Laywell all of Sand Springs, Oklahoma and Staff Sergeant Ryan Hoback, USAF of Germany; fourteen great grandchildren, sister in law Oleta Zickefoose of Cleveland, Oklahoma; extended family Madeline Hope of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lisa Brown of Cleveland, Oklahoma as well as many nieces, nephews, family and friends.