Cmsgt Jake Claud Dodson

CMSgt Jake Claud Dodson, age 93, passed away peacefully at his home in Broken Arrow, OK, on Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024. He was born on November 1, 1930, in Sand Springs, OK, to Virgil Claud and Neva Jesse Dodson,

Jake and his family lived in and around the Sand Springs and Tulsa area until 1945 when his dad purchased 40 acres east of Broken Arrow and moved the family to the “farm” which would become home to all three of the Dodson kids and their families.

A proud graduate of Broken Arrow High School in 1948, Jake's academic achievements earned him a football scholarship to Chanute Junior College. That’s when they still let the small guys play (Jake was 5’9” and weighed 130 lbs.) but his college career was interrupted by a call to serve his country. This call turned into a distinguished 37-year career in the United States Air Force, where he rose to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. After his military retirement in 1988, Jake embarked on a second career, delivering wholesale greenery to florists around Tulsa and surrounding areas until his second retirement in 2016.

Jake was a workaholic, and his work ethic was extraordinary, a trait he passed on to his kids and grandkids. On March 24, 1976, he married the love of his life, Mary Louise Murrill, and together they built a family founded on love, faith, and joy. Jake was a man who truly believed he had lived a full and happy life, cherishing every day, whether he was working, spending time with family, or serving God.

His faith was a cornerstone of his existence, and he thanked God for who he was and what he had. He was a member of Northside Christian Church in Broken Arrow, OK. Jake's life was a testament to his love for God, his family, and his country. He was a father to two daughters and helped Mary raise her three children. Michelle lived with them and helped Mary care for him until his death.

Jake made many friends stretching from the military to the floral community and everywhere in between. There was even a time when he and Mary raced thoroughbred horses. He even recruited his old friend Jr. Hamilton to go in with them on some horses. They didn’t have any Kentucky Derby winners, but they all had fun and had their pictures taken in the winner’s circle a few times. Their partnership and friendship were sources of great joy and laughter, and the last one they purchased together before Jr. passed away was a horse named "Honkin Leon," which they bought from a used car dealer in Jay, OK. Needless to say, they’re probably both up there laughing about that.

A devoted husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, and friend, Jake was known for his kindness and integrity. He often spoke of his father with admiration, saying, "my dad was a good man, everybody liked him," a sentiment that many would echo about Jake himself.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Dodson of the home in Broken Arrow, OK; his daughters, Mary Ann Allen and Jan Anderson, both of Broken Arrow, OK; his bonus daughter, Michelle Gardner of Broken Arrow; his sisters, Billie Hecklin and Patricia Potter, both of Broken Arrow, OK; his grandchildren, Tyler Robertson of Broken Arrow, OK, Jake Robertson of Wagoner, OK, P.J. Gardner of Broken Arrow, OK, Jayna Darnell Sabala of Tulsa, OK, and Shelley Tilloson of Collinsville, OK; along with numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relatives who will miss him dearly.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Virgil Claud and Neva Jesse Dodson; his step-son, Danny Darnell; and his step-daughter, Terry Lynne Darnell.

Visitation for Jake will be from 6:00 – 8:00 PM on Monday, June 17, 2024, at Brown Funeral Home in Coweta, OK. A graveside service to celebrate his life will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, OK, where he will be honored with full military honors by the United States Air Force.

Family and friends are invited to share memories online at www.brownfamilycares.com. The family of Jake Claud Dodson entrusted his care and services to Brown Funeral Home & Cremations, 210 S. Broadway, Coweta, OK 74429, 918-486-5515.