The Oklahoma Bar Journal May 2024

I n M emoriam

A llison Jean Black of Joplin, Missouri, died Feb. 8. She was born Dec. 24, 1979, in Joplin and was a lifetime area resident. She graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising and received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2005. She practiced with her father at the law firm of Warten, Fisher, Lee & Brown in Joplin. She also worked as a trust officer at U.S. Bank and, most recently, as a realtor for PRO 100. Ms. Black was a member of the Hope City Church and a volunteer in its nursery during morning services. Memorial contributions may be made to the Joplin Humane Society. C aroleen Roberta Carman of Bethany died March 29. She was born Aug. 20, 1954. Ms. Carman received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1991. K enneth Ray Feagins of Kingfisher died March 11. He was born Dec. 8, 1960, in San Antonio. He graduated from OU, where he was a member of the President’s Leadership Class and Beta Theta Pi, with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. Mr. Feagins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 1989 and LL.M.s from Columbia Law School and the OU College of Law. His legal career began as a litigation asso ciate with Vial, Hamilton, Koch & Knox in Dallas before he moved to Norman to start a private practice focusing on employment discrim ination. Mr. Feagins then worked at the Oklahoma State Department of Health before returning to the private sector to practice oil and gas law. Memorial contributions may be made to the Beta Theta Pi Scholarship Fund or the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

R obert Samuel Flaniken of Edmond died March 30. He was born April 12, 1944, in Lamesa, Texas. Mr. Flaniken served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He received his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio in 1974 and was licensed to practice law in both Texas and Oklahoma until his retirement in 2020. B ruce Darrow Gaither of Tulsa died Nov. 11, 2022. He was born May 28, 1951. Mr. Gaither received his J.D. from the TU College of Law. K elly Jeanne Kress of Oklahoma City died March 18. She was born Aug. 1, 1985. She attended Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, where she was the captain of the school’s vol leyball team and earned a bache lor’s degree in molecular biology. Ms. Kress received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 2011. She focused her practice on patent law and served on the YWCA board. Memorial contributions may be made to the YWCA. D onald Ray Lambert of Del City died Feb. 7. He was born Sept. 12, 1946, in Guthrie. He attended the University of Central Oklahoma and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1974. Mr. Lambert worked for the state of Oklahoma for more than 30 years until his retirement. T omilou Gentry Liddell of Edmond died Nov. 20. She was born Dec. 30, 1952, in El Paso, Texas. She graduated from OU in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in professional writing and received her J.D. from the OCU School of

Law. She served as an assistant attorney general through the administrations of Attorneys General Cartwright, Turpen and Henry, then as judicial assistant for the Oklahoma Court of Appeals from 1987 to 1995. Memorial con tributions may be made to Free to Live Animal Sanctuary. R oger Dean Rinehart of El Reno died April 6. He was born June 17, 1931, in El Reno. He grad uated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in 1952 and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1956. He was also a member of the American Bar Association and the Canadian County Bar Association for 68 years. Mr. Rinehart was a member of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Assistance Program Committee and served as chair of the committee from 1990 to 1993. Under his leadership, the commit tee established a statewide help line and distributed thousands of pamphlets. He was awarded the Community Interest Award from The Law and You Foundation and the Joe Stamper Distinguished Service Award from the OBA. He served others, including pre senting at international workshops on lawyer substance abuse and serving as a trustee-at-large, a world service delegate and member of the AA General Service Board. Mr. Rinehart was a member of the First Christian Church of El Reno since 1956, where he served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon and elder and was also honored as elder emeritus. He practiced law in El Reno with his father from 1956 to 1977, his brother from 1956 to 1997 and his son from 1989 to 2024. He received the El Reno Public Schools Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 and was

102 | MAY 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL