The Oklahoma Bar Journal August 2023

L ance A. Felactu of Edgewater, Maryland, died March 31, 2021. He was born Jan. 24, 1964. Mr. Felactu received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1994. C harles Bryan Graft of Clinton died April 28. He was born Jan. 15, 1941, near Putnam. He graduated from the OU College of Law in 1966 and opened his first law practice in 1967. Mr. Graft went on to form Graft & Cabaniss and eventually a partnership in banking as well, which led to the founding of the Bank of the West. A ngelita Aunko Hamilton of Gracemont died April 18. She was born May 10, 1951. Ms. Hamilton received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1991. R ichard L. Hasley of Oklahoma City died May 2. He was born July 8, 1939, in Tipton. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1968 and was an active attorney in Oklahoma City for 50 years. Mr. Hasley franchised, built and operated approximately 40 Mazzio’s Pizza restaurants in Oklahoma and Texas over a 27-year period. W illiam Henry Henson of Lawton died Oct. 12, 2021. He was born Nov. 9, 1956, in Oklahoma City. He attended Norman High School and graduated from OU in 1979. He received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 1982. Upon gradu ating, he returned to Oklahoma to work at the Oklahoma City law firm of McAfee & Taft, where he practiced in the area of banking law. Mr. Henson eventually transitioned to managing his family’s banking

R obert T. Rennie Jr. of Pauls Valley died July 6. He was born Sept. 28, 1953, in Pauls Valley. Mr. Rennie received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1978. His legal career began at the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office, and eventually, he started his private practice at Scarce, Tipton and Rennie. Mr. Rennie was very involved in the Pauls Valley com munity, serving on various boards and participating as a member in many local organizations. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pauls Valley Animal Welfare Society or your local animal shelter. P aul J. Sowinski of Wagoner died April 10. He was born April 5, 1964, in Des Plaines, Illinois. Mr. Sowinski received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 2004 and served as an attorney in Oklahoma for 19 years. E dward Eldon Sutter III of Alva died June 10. He was born April 20, 1950, in Fairview. He received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law after graduating from OSU. Mr. Sutter then moved to Alva, where he practiced law for nearly 47 years. For many years, he practiced at the law firm of Harmon & Sutter Law, which was eventually renamed Edward E. Sutter & Associates. He was involved in his community, helping through projects such as raising funds and developing the Bill Johnson Correctional Center Benson Center/Eversole Chapel and the Avard Regional Industrial Rail Park. He was appointed to the Oklahoma Highway Commission by Gov. Keating in 1995 and served for eight years. He was a member of the Woods County Bar Association,

business and became a director of Olney Bancshares of Texas. S heppard F. Miers Jr . of Tulsa died June 4. He was born April 24, 1941, in Tulsa. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1966. Mr. Miers served as an officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps in Charlottesville, Virginia . After completing his military service, he worked in Tulsa with the Cities Service Co. and eventually as a partner at Huffman Arrington Law Firm and GableGotwals. He con tinued his education, earning his CPA license and LL.M. in taxation at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Miers wrote for many publica tions, including the Oklahoma Bar Journal Tax Section Note, where he explained new Oklahoma tax laws each year from 1998 to 2022. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. M ichael Alan Peters of Noble died March 20. He was born March 7, 1966. He received his J.D. from the OU College of Law and began his professional career at the Division of Air Quality at the Department of Environment Quality. At this job, he managed many cases and negotiated numer ous air quality matters before progressing in his career working with the Environmental Quality Department at McKinney & Stringer Law Firm. Mr. Peters eventually established himself as a partner with Ryan Whaley Coldiron Jantzen Peters & Webber in Oklahoma City.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL