Billy Ray Mulbery

Billy Ray Mulbery passed away on December 3, 2020 at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, OK at the age of 77 surrounded by his two daughters & his grandson.

Bill was born on August 29, 1943 in Beaver, OK to Raymond & Orpha (Hendrick) Mulbery.  He spent his childhood on the family farm west of Laverne.

He attended & graduated from Laverne High School with the class of 1961.  Following graduation, he attended Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, OK & earned his associates degree in Auto Mechanics.  

Bill served in the Air Force during Vietnam & was stationed in the Philippines as a bomb plotter.  He received orders to go to Vietnam twice & they were rescinded both times at the last minute.  In 1967, he was stationed in LaJunta, CO & it was there he was introduced to Barbara Mickey.  

Bill & Barbara were married November 12, 1968 in LaJunta, Colorado and made their home in Laverne. Bill worked for Hepner Chevrolet as a mechanic, then Atlantic Richfield Oil Company & he also started Mulbery Auto Repair & would work on cars in the evenings.  He was assisted by Alfred Moore & had a high school kid by the name of Clif Brinson that he taught the fine art of cleaning the tools & putting them back EXACTLY where they went.  

Bill lived a life of serving his community.  He joined the Laverne Fire Department in July of 1970 as a Laverne Volunteer Firefighter.  The end of his reign came 25 years later in June of 1995.  Some highlights of his tenure of being the "Chief" include moving to the donated building that is now the current location of the fire station.  He organized the first open house dinner & cake/pie auction that developed into an annual fundraiser for the department.  He enjoyed attending OSFA conferences & made many life-long friends with firefighters from all over the state of Oklahoma. 

Some of the other hats he wore included serving as a town board member, Mayor, Harper County Emergency Management Director, & member of the Harper County Excise Board.  He was an active member of the Laverne American Legion Post 273 & just last January received his 50-year certificate.  Bill was well-known for being the go-to-guy for anyone needing any medical equipment that the Legion loans out.

Bill also enjoyed having fun & tormenting his nieces & nephews and later his grandson, Trevor.  He & Barbara both took flying lessons from Dwain Brinson & Bill developed a love for flying. Travel was another pastime he enjoyed & took several trips with friends to Hawaii & Mexico, he enjoyed elk hunting in Colorado, & the annual Mulbery Deer Camp. He also bought himself a Harley & enjoyed riding and was a supporter of A.B.A.T.E. Northwest 69 Chapter.  Bill attended Catesby Methodist Church & was the pecan pie provider at their church suppers.

Deciding he didn't have enough to do. he & a long-time friend bought the Love trailer park & they revamped it to Sunrise RV park.  Once he sold the RV park, he was truly retired & had plenty of time to tinker in his garage, catch up on gossip at morning coffee, & become a regular at the "big" table at the Tiger Hut.   He excelled at the role of Grandpa & had many adventures with Trevor & attended every tennis match, choir concert, & school function that he was able to make.

Bill was collector, he collected coins, knives, pocket watches, & most of all friends.  Among his friend collection is Karen Newton who not only served his breakfast at the Tiger Hut, but also made sure he was doing okay each day.  

He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Raymond & Orpha Mulbery, his father-in-law & mother-in-law Floyd & Dorothy Rooks, Brother-in-law David Rooks, Sister-in-law Eddie Rooks, & most recently his wife Barbara in 2017.  

Bill is survived by daughters Vicki Mulbery, Karen Rummel (Alan), Grandson Trevor Rummel, Godson Jason Doiel, brothers Robert Lee Mulbery (Carol), Kenneth Mulbery (Marylu), Zane Mulbery (Margaret), Sisters Mary Ellen Goins (JR), Betty Jo Mulbery.  Sister-in-law Judith Mullen (Bill), Brother-in-law Curtis Rooks (Patty) & Kent Rooks (Annie).  Bonus grandchildren Braden & Kiersten Anderson & bonus great-grandsons Caleb & Callen Anderson, many nieces, nephews, cousins, & other relatives.