The Oklahoma Bar Journal August 2022

I n M emoriam

J ose L. Blanco of Oklahoma City died June 25. He was born Sept. 2, 1976, in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Mr. Blanco earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, where he played guitar in a band with his brother. He received his J.D. from the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and worked at Legal Aid Services. In 2016, he was named Public Servant of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers Oklahoma. He was also an active member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, where he was a Fourth Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus. Memorial contributions may be made to the Blanco Children Education Fund at the Oklahoma City Allegiance Credit Union. M ack Muratet Braly of Broken Arrow died March 17. He was born April 16, 1939, in Ada. Mr. Braly earned his bachelor’s degree from OU in 1961. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and was selected as one of four members of the OU Academic Team, appearing on the nationally televised General Electric College Bowl. In 1970, Mr. Braly received his J.D. from the New York University School of Law. He began his legal career at Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the oldest Wall Street law firms, where he worked for about eight years before opening his own practice in Tulsa. He was an accomplished equestrian and an active member and participant of the Tulsa Polo Club and Harvard Fox Hunt Club. W illiam C. Brining of Tonkawa died May 8. He was born April 30, 1939. Upon graduating

her husband and their friend. Later, she moved to Edmond, where she worked as an attorney in the Social Security Office of Hearing and Appeals for 22 years before retiring. W illiam R. Devilliers of Oklahoma City died March 24. He was born Feb. 21, 1952. Mr. Devilliers received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1977. D avid D. Dixon of Oklahoma City died May 28. He was born March 31, 1956. An active member of the Bahá’í community since he was 17, Mr. Dixon served as a teacher in Suriname in 1974 and at the Bahá’í World Congress in 1992. He was also instrumental in getting Bahá’í marriages rec ognized in Oklahoma. Mr. Dixon graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1988. He spent more than five years as a forensic serologist for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and nearly 30 years as a judicial assistant for Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Hodges and Justice Colbert. He also served as a member of the Sovereignty Symposium board and continuously advocated for the independence of tribal nations. R ichard Frazier Farley of Del City died Aug. 17, 2021. He was born Dec. 1, 1952. Mr. Farley received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1979. R ichard Dean Ford of Park Hill died June 5. He was born Aug. 2, 1946, in Liberal, Kansas. In 1970, Mr. Ford enlisted and served with the 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma Army

from OU with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Mr. Brining served as a captain in the Korean Conflict. He then accepted a position with the U.S. Treasury in Reno, Nevada, as a federal estate and gift tax attorney. In the early 80s, he returned to Tonkawa, where he practiced law and worked on his family’s farm. He also served as a quartermaster and mentor to young men at the VFW Post 2855 in Blackwell. Memorial contribu tions may be made to the Tonkawa First Presbyterian Church. J erry Lynn Brown of Park Hill died April 12. He was born June 8, 1932, in Tulsa. Mr. Brown received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1959. He spent his professional life in the aerospace and defense industries as a program direc tor for Martin Marietta, Control Data and Northrop Grumman. In retirement, he focused on building the Republican Party in Cherokee County, receiving a lifetime achieve ment award for his efforts. He also served as chairman of the Cherokee County Election Board for six years. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Biomedical Research Foundation. F reda May Collier of Edmond died March 23. She was born Sept. 5, 1940, in Minnesota. After graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, she taught fifth grade at Rockwood Elementary in Oklahoma City. In 1974, she enrolled in night law school, where she was a member of the Oklahoma City Law Review . Ms. Collier received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978. She then joined the Hennessey law firm of Collier, Mesis and Collier with

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL