Dr. C. Henry Gold was born in Hobart, Okla. to Benjamin Henry and Laura Isabell Young Gold on July 25, 1933 and entered his Heavenly home on Aug. 9, 2018 at the age of 85. He graduated from Lawton High School in 1951 and attended Oklahoma University where he earned a B.B.A., M. Ed., and an Ed.D. He married Jacquelyn Bassford on July 10, 1954, and they raised four children.
Dr. Gold taught in the business school of Oklahoma City University and served in several administrative positions before establishing classes in Ardmore and producing the first Higher Education Center in Oklahoma. He moved his family to Durant in 1967 where he spent the remainder of his career at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. During this time he served as Professor of Business Administration, Dean of the School of Business and Industry, Dean of Academic Affairs, Graduate Dean, and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. He seemingly retired in 1995 but continued to work raising funds for the university until his true retirement in 2014.
He was inducted into the Higher Education Hall of Fame in October 2015. Dr. Gold was one of the great educators, and it was not uncommon for State Regents, chancellors, other university presidents, and political leaders to call him weekly for advice on statewide higher education issues.
He served on the Board of Directors of First United Bank, the Board of Trustees of the Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma, and the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma Baptist University. Dr. Gold was a deacon of the First Baptist Church in Durant and was involved in several civic organizations including Kiwanis and Durant Chamber of Commerce. He enjoyed fishing and watching Sooner football.
He was preceded in death by his parents. Surviving him are his wife, Jackye, of the home and four children; Brent Gold and wife Sheila of Caddo, Kimberly Pool and husband Chris of Pauls Valley, Laura Stephens and husband Philip of Durant, and Sheri Mauck and husband David of Edmond, and sister, Ruth Adna Gattis of Norman. He is also survived by six grandchildren; Jillian Russell, Jerek Russell, Kyle Stephens and wife Kalyn, Stephanie Stephens, Megan Mauck, and Natalie Eppler and husband Kadon; and three great grandchildren, Kale and Kanberlin Stephens and Klaidon Henry Eppler who is expected this month.
A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Durant. Family Hour will be from 6-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 at Gordon Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his memory to the C. Henry and Jackye Gold scholarship fund at The Southeastern Foundation, 425 W. University Blvd., Durant, OK 74701 or the First Baptist Church, 124 W. Evergreen, Durant, OK 74701.