John Thomas Tatum Sr. passed away in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Friday, January 27, 2012, at the age of 78 years.

John was the son of Emmett & Rachel (James) Tatum, born on August 15, 1933, in Valliant, Oklahoma. In his younger years, he lived in Oklahoma, Oregon, and California. He married Joella Wilson on his 19th birthday, August 15, 1952, in Nipoma, California.

John worked in the oil fields, painted cars and raced cars, operated a bulldozer and worked in construction. He worked for Hughes County District #3, where he was employed for 32 years before served as Sunday School Superintendent at the Free Will Baptist Church of Non, Oklahoma. He served for eleven years on the Calvin Board of Education. He loved to fish, hunt, ride horses, farm, and raise cattle. Most of all, he loved his Lord, his wife, and his family.

John is preceded in death by his parents, Emmett & Rachel Tatum; four brothers: Emmett Jr., Oscar, Allan and Billy Wayne; four sisters: June, Jeanette, Joyce and Letta Mae.

Survivors are his beloved wife of 59 years, Joella (Wilson) Tatum, of the home; his three children: Jo 'Tochie' Cates and husband Bill, of Atwood, John Tatum Jr. and wife Donna, and Joyce Searcy and husband Jim, all of Gerty; four grandchildren: Jason Tatum, Janet Woodell, Jessica Janes and Lesley Sturm; eight great grandchildren: Logan, Donley, Rheagan, Austin, Brayden, Brittany, Sarah and Eliana; one brother, Clifford Tatum and wife Twila, and one sister, Joy Evans; and a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 2:00 p.m. at Bethel Free Will Baptist Church in Allen, Oklahoma. John will be laid to rest in the Gerty Cemetery at Gerty, Oklahoma. Rev. Earl Scroggins and Rev. Buddy Drake are the officiating ministers. Pallbearers are Bruce Woods, Sheldon Tatum, Cameron Miller, Charlie Bob Evans, Ryan Colbert, and Nick Janes. Honorary pallbearers are Coy Woodall, Ed Colbert, Vincent Tatum, Alton Tatum, Benny Miller, Johnathan Cates, and Leonard Iker.