Henry Bellmon

Former Governor and United States Senator Henry L. Bellmon, 88, of Billings, Oklahoma, was the son of George Delbert and Edith Caskey Bellmon. He was born on September 3, 1921 in Tonkawa, Oklahoma and died Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at St. Mary's Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma. Henry attended the Glenrose rural school and graduated from Billings High School in 1938. He then graduated from Oklahoma A M now Oklahoma State University in 1942 with a Bachelors Degree in agronomy. Henry served his country as a member of the United States Marine Corp from 1942 to 1946. He was a tank platoon leader in the Pacific Theater of World War II. He took part in four landings on Pacific islands, including Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and a Silver Star for bravery during the battle of Iwo Jima. He served a single term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1946-1948. On January 24, 1947, Henry married Shirley Osborn in Billings, Oklahoma. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 24, 1997. She preceded him in death on July 24, 2000. Although their farm near Billings, Oklahoma was the foundation of their lives, Henry's election in 1962 as Oklahoma's first Republican Governor took them away for most of the next 30 years. In 1968 he was elected to his first of two terms to the United States Senate moving the family to Washington, D.C. for the next 12 years. After returning to the state of Oklahoma, Henry was again elected Governor in 1986. Henry had taught at Oklahoma City University, Central State University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. He also worked as a consultant for Oklahoma State University helping to find applications and funding for graduate research projects and served as Director of the State Department of Human Services. Henry married Eloise Bollenbach on April 6, 2002 in Perry, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Perry, Oklahoma. Visitation in Billings, Oklahoma will be in the Bellmon Library located on Main Street, Billings, Oklahoma from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, 2009 and Thursday, October 1, 2009. The family will receive friends on Friday, October 2, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the 4th Floor Rotunda at the Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Funeral services in Edmond will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the First Presbyterian Church, 1001 South Rankin, Edmond, Oklahoma. Rev. Andrew Tevington will officiate. Funeral services in Perry will be 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the First Presbyterian Church, 422 8th Street, Perry, Oklahoma. Rick Rhodes will officiate. Interment will be in Union Cemetery in Billings. Services are under the direction of Dugger Funeral Home, Billings, Oklahoma. Memorial contributions may be made payable to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation or the Henry Bellmon Endowment at OSU Foundation in care of Dugger Funeral Home, P.O. Box 41, Billings, Oklahoma 74630. Henry is survived by his wife, Eloise Bellmon of Kingfisher, Oklahoma; three daughters, Pat Hoerth of Billings, Oklahoma, Gail Wynne and her husband, John, of Enid, Oklahoma and Ann McFerron of Billings, Oklahoma; four grandchildren, Brok McFerron, Ben McFerron and Elliott Wynne and his wife, Kristina, all of Denver, Colorado and Will Copeland of Los Angeles, California; brother, George Bellmon of Enid, Oklahoma; one sister-in-law, Joyce Bellmon of Edmond, Oklahoma; two step-sons, Scott Bollenbach and his wife, Barbara, and Barry Bollenbach and his wife, Joyce, all of Kingfisher, Oklahoma; five step-grandchildren, Laura Moore and her husband, Rob, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Angela Swienton and her husband, Stephen, of Ft. Worth, Texas, Austin Bollenbach of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Tammy Bollenbach of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Kurt Bollenbach and his wife, Brooke, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and five step great-grandchildren, Ashlyn Moore and Andrew Moore, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Thomas Swienton and Alex Swienton, both of Ft. Worth, Texas and Brittan Bollenbach of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Shirley Bellmon, his parents, George and Edith Bellmon, eleven brothers and sisters and one step-granddaughter. Condolences may be sent to the family using the online guest book at www.duggerfuneralhome.com.