The Oklahoma Bar Journal August 2025

C lifton Decherd Thomas of Jenks died June 15. He was born July 31, 1973, in Alexandria, Louisiana. He graduated from Altus High School in 1992 and from OSU, where he earned a degree in agricultural communication. Mr. Thomas received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 2004. He practiced in the areas of criminal and family law, and he was dedi cated to advocating for others. A rthur L. Thorp of Oklahoma City died Jan. 18, 2024. He was born Dec. 19, 1932, in Foss. He grad uated from Stafford High School as the valedictorian and earned bach elor’s degrees in history and educa tion from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and accounting from OU. Mr. Thorp received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1966. He spent two years in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Fort Sill, where he received a college deferment in 1956. He was a mem ber of the Soldier Creek Baptist Church in Midwest City and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a 32nd degree Mason, a long-time secretary and the last worshipful master at Broadway Circle Lodge. Mr. Thorp was a partner at Owen & Thorp Inc. for over 50 years. C harles D. Tomlins of Cape Coral, Florida, died Jan. 29. He was born April 28, 1933. Mr. Tomlins received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1958. J ames Roll Tourtellotte of Oklahoma City died April 8. He was born May 12, 1935, in Wilburton. He attended Stillwater High School, where he was involved in wrestling, music, drama and debate. He graduated from OSU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law. Upon graduation,

D aniel G. Webber of Yukon died April 11. He was born June 5, 1942. He attended OSU, where he was a member of ROTC. Mr. Webber served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard during the Vietnam era and was named to the Governor’s Twenty for pistols and rifles. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1975 and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978. Mr. Webber established a law practice based in Watonga and Kingfisher and served as a municipal judge in Okarche for 50 years. He also served as the city attorney in Watonga and as a judge in the courts of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Mr. Webber coached track and base ball at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Okarche and was a longtime booster of Watonga’s sports programs. M ickey Dan Wilson of Tulsa died April 18. He was born Dec. 5, 1931, in Tulsa. He graduated from Central High School in Tulsa in 1950 and attended TU, where he had a tennis scholarship and was a member of the cheer team and Sigma Chi. He graduated in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1956. After law school, Mr. Wilson was appointed assistant county attorney in Tulsa County. He entered the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant in 1957. He worked as a staff judge advocate, stationed in Crete, and he received an honorable discharge at the rank of captain in December 1959. After his service, he returned to Tulsa to focus on corporate and commercial law. He was appointed as a bankruptcy judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in 1983. While on the bench, he was active in the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Commercial Law League of America

he was a commissioned officer in the Military Police Corps, where he served for three years. After being discharged, he returned to Stillwater to enter private practice and served as a county attorney for Payne County. During this time, he served as vice president and president of the Oklahoma State County Attorney’s Association. His other positions included general counsel of the Grand River Dam Authority, assistant general counsel for the electric side of the Federal Power Commission, assistant chief hearing council and Senior Executive Services member at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During his last four years at the NRC, he served as chairman of the Regulatory Reform Task Force. In 1985, Mr. Tourtellotte started his own law firm. He was a member of the International Nuclear Law Association and the Cosmos Club. For the next several years, he prac ticed law and started a lobbying firm as well. He spent the 1990s as the chief operating officer of Juno Systems, a company that provided services to investment banks in New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Mr. Tourtellotte was involved in the Town & Gown Theatre, where he appeared in several productions, a gospel quartet and the DC Masters as a swimmer. J erry Lee Venable of Beaver died Dec. 30, 2024. He was born May 17, 1945, in Beaver. Mr. Venable grad uated from Beaver High School, where he was an all-state quar terback and won the state football championship in 1962. He gradu ated from OU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law. C arol Ann Walker of Oklahoma City died March 26. She was born on Dec. 15, 1951, in Stillwater. Ms. Walker received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1979.

98 | AUGUST 2025

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL