Lelon Draper

Lelon David Draper passed away from this life on April 18, 2025, at the age of 85 in Cleveland, Oklahoma.

Lelon was born on August 25, 1939, in Bennington, Oklahoma; he was the son of George Lafayette and Bertha Mae (Cook) Corley. Lelon attended school and completed his education at Blue High School in 1957. Soon after high school, Lelon was united in marriage to Mary Jannett “Jan” Kilgore at the Blue Baptist Church on June 6, 1957. In 1963, Lelon and Jan moved to Amarillo, Texas. Lelon gained employment at the local feed mill. Lelon later worked in hardware sales for Blishmize and Sullivan. Lelon and Jan then moved to Durant, Oklahoma, and he started working in the maintenance department at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University. In 1969, the couple moved their family to Owasso, Oklahoma, where Lelon worked at Benson Lumber. In 1984, Lelon and his family moved to Cleveland, where he worked as the manager of operations at Benson Lumber until the closure of the facility. In 1990, Lelon began driving a transport truck hauling crude for Koch. Lelon later retired from Plans Transportation at the age of 65. Following retirement, Lelon started working part-time at Chapman-Black Funeral Home, where he was employed for nearly 20 years.

Lelon always enjoyed going camping, working in his garden, providing vegetables for his friends, and woodworking. He was a member of the Terlton Baptist Church, formerly a Deacon at Western Heights Baptist Church and Westport Baptist Church as well as sang in the choir. Most of all, Lelon loved his Lord and Saviour and always enjoyed visiting and talking with people.

Survivors include three sons, Mark Draper and wife Lydia, Lemuel Draper and Charlene, Brent Draper and Candi; eleven grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter; and a host of other relatives and friends. Lelon was preceded in death by his parents, George and Bertha, his wife Jan in 2023, his son DeWayne, and three siblings, Herman, Raymond and James Draper.

Services will be held 2:00 pm, Monday, April 21, 2025, at the Chapman-Black Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bill Sisson officiating. Graveside committal will be at 5:30 pm, Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at the Highland Cemetery in Durant, Oklahoma. Chapman-Black Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements. Friends and family may visit an online guest book and memorial page for Lelon at www.chapman-black.com.