Everett Gerald Avant, a veteran of the United States Navy left this life on Nov. 10, 2021, at the age of 94. He was born in Kenefic, Okla. on May 15, 1927, to John Leonard Avant and Virgie (Dennis) Avant in a small frame house by the railroad tracks. Everett was married to Emma Eldora Boyd.
Everett served this country in the United States Navy, he did his tour of duty in the Pacific theater making it all the way to Japan. Everett and his wife Eldora moved to Oklahoma, eventually he went to Southeastern and became certified to teach business and organizing a boy scout troop.
They had four children: Rodney, Linda, Leslie, and Sue. He had a variety of jobs and in 1982 he and Eldora moved to Kenefic to care for their parents. They were active members of the Kenefic Baptist Church. Everett received great joy in writing stories and painting on canvas. He decided to get his pilot and motorcycle licenses at the age of 52.
In 1999, Eldora passed from this life, his son Rodney retired from teaching and moved home to be with me. A favorite quote from Everett’s Uncle Walter: “Time may be free, but it is still priceless. If I were an artist I would dream of a painting then I would paint the dream.”
Mr. Avant is survived by his children: Rodney Avant of Kenefic, Okla., Linda Stuckey and husband Marvin of Oklahoma City, Okla., Leslie Avant and wife Donna of Yukon, Okla., and Sue Haddock and husband Albert of Caddo, Okla.; nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. Avant was preceded in death by his beloved wife Eldora Avant; parents, John Leonard and Vergie Avant and cherished granddaughter, Melanie Dawn Avant.
Family hour will be from 6-7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12 at the Holmes~Coffey~Murray Chapel in Durant, Okla.
A funeral in his honor will be in the chapel at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 with Royce Couch officiating. His final earthly resting place will be the Gethsemane Cemetery in Caddo with Jeremy Ritterhouse, Kristopher Avant, Brody Haddock, Kolton Neptune, Ian Ritterhouse, and JD Hicks as his pallbearers. His honorary pallbearers will be William Bo and Billy Lambert.
Services are under the direction of Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home in Durant, Okla.
