Clayton Samuel Krotzer, Jr

Clayton Samuel Krotzer, Jr. was born December 13, 1924 in Drumright, Oklahoma. He was the son of Clayton Samuel, Sr. and Ethel (Haught) Krotzer. The family resided near the Gooden 80 oil lease, east of Drumright, before moving into Drumright in 1929. Clayton started his education at the Ward 2 School in Drumright and attended his elementary education there. The family moved to a Texas Oil Company house, on a lease southeast of Drumright and then moved into a four room house that was built by Claytonís grandfather Haught and his father, Clayton in 1932. Shortly after the birth of his sister, Nancy in 1932, the Krotzer family was relocated to the Weaver lease, three miles southwest of Mannford. Clayton then attended Mannford Schools, graduating from Mannford High School in 1943. Clayton spent his entire life working the oilfields of northeastern Oklahoma. One of his first memories was going with his father to check a compressor station on the Gooden 80 lease, east of Drumright; his father carrying him on his shoulders to look at the station. Surviving he Great Depression with his family, taught Clayton to be frugal in his lifestyle and in business. He worked in nearly every facet of the oil field after returning from the service of his country in the United States Army Air Force during World War II; his mother thinking he was working as a roustabout during this time. Clayton was married to Ramona Spess in 1947, residing in Osage County when Clayton accepted employment with the Texas Company in 1950. In 1953, Clayton actually saved his sister-in-law Ruth from drowning and received a certificate from the Texas Company for saving a life. During their marriage, Clayton and Ramona had three children, Dan, Karl and Lonnie. In 1958, Clayton resigned his position with the Texas Company and moved to Cleveland for a short time before accepting a position with the Dutrow Oil Company in Konawa, Oklahoma. After a short tenure with Dutrow Oil, Clayton moved his family to Tulsa and attended Tulsa Welding School. In 1959 they moved to Cleveland where Clayton established his first oil field business, Claytonís Well Service. Over the next fifty-three years, Clayton remained active in the oil field business operating as an independent oil producer and managing both Cimarron Oil Company and C K Resources. While residing in Cleveland, Clayton was always active in community affairs including serving on the City Council numerous terms and serving as Mayor. He was instrumental in the establishment of both the Keystone Golf Club and the Triangle Heritage Museum. Clayton was married to Carol Louise Wood on March 7, 1986 at the First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland. Clayton and Carol spent many wonderful evenings dancing together at the Candlewood Club where they were members. They both always put their family first, making sure that each and every need was met no matter what the occasion. Clayton and Carol successfully blended their two families into one loving family. They enjoyed traveling and spent many years together taking cruises, ski trips, fishing trips and traveling throughout the country in their RV. Whenever possible, they took their family with them. Clayton especially enjoyed watching his grandhchildren playing different sports. He liked having family cookouts and cooking ribs on his Hasty Bake for the entire family. He was an avid golfer for many years and also enjoyed piloting his own aircraft. He also enjoyed participating in charity fundraisers organized by himself and his late wife, Carol who preceeded in death on Spetmber 25, 2008. Clayton was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland. He was involed from many years with the American Petroleum Institute and was an avid Oklahoma State Univeristy Cowboy fan as a member of the OSU Posse Club for twenty-eight years. Clayton was proud of his heritage of being brought up through the Great Drepression and utilizing the lesson from that time to become a self-taught successful Independent Oil Producer and becoming an accomplished pilot. Clayton passed from this life on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at his home near Cleveland surrounded by his family at the age of eighty-seven years. In addition to his wife Carol, Clayton was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his six children Dan Krotzer and his wife Pat of Rogers, Arkansas, Karl Krotzer and his wife Kay Lynn of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Lonnie Davis and her husband Dean of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Valerie Newby and her husband David of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Angela Paulsen and her husband Wayne of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cody McSpadden of Tulsa, Oklahoma; one brother Steve Krotzer of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; two sisters Nancy McIntire of Mannford, Oklahoma and Dorothy Abel of Savanah, Georgia; thirteen grandchildren, Nathan Krotzer, Carla Krotzer, Kyla (Davis) Vaughan, Lacey Davis, Carmen Davis, Clint Davis, Kyle Krotzer, Grant Krotzer, Caden Krotzer, Audra Carol Mize, Chelsea Mize, Alex McSpadden and Austin McSpadden; six great grandchildren Isaac, Zackari and Gabriel Vaughan, Coleman Davis, Jade Krotzer, Myron Krotzer as well as a host of other relatives and friends.