A letter dated January 2, 1980 from Glendora Montandon Hill to a Mrs. Davis contained an inquiriry into the possibility of a memorial in Waurika for the Rev. Charles Clay Montandon and his wife Myrtle who had once pastored the Nazarene church in Waurika and then later returned with plans to live out the rest of their days in this comunity they enjoyed.
Unfortunately, Charles came down with Bright’s disease and heart trouble and passed away on December 31, 1941.
His wife, Myrtle, continued to raise their children here.
Charles Clay Montandon was born in McMinnyville, Tennessee.
Myrtle Taylor was raised in Texas.
According to a paper supposedly drafted by the family found in files at Waurika City Hall, the couple didn’t meet until after Charles had been ordained as a minister in the Congregational Methodist Church.
They were married at her parent’s home at Gouldbusk, Texas.
The couple had 8 children 7 of those survived. Carlos, Nina, Faye, Charles, Glendora, Pat and James.
Charles Clay & Myrtle Montandon with their son Carlos in 1911. Source: “Oh the Glory of it All” by Sean Wilsey
Myrtle once made the remark that they had children in school for forty-two years beginning with Carlos, the oldest, and ending with Jim, the youngest.
Their ministry together consisted of revival meetings in communities where there were no churches. Once a church was established Charles would find a pastor for the congregation then move on to another community.
Charles was known as a competent contractor and builder. He often built the new church buildings or surpervised their construction.
According to the letter from the family, the couple were instrumental in establishing more than 31 churches of the Nazarene in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
According to family history, the Montandons pastored the Nazrene church in Waurika for a several years before continuing ministry in Texas.
Charles believed in the church being available to people of all races. This got him into trouble in Texas.
After allowing African Americans to attend services one week, the KKK burned the church down then set fire to a cross on the lawn of the church parsonage. The church board felt this was too much heat for their small congregation and asked the Montandon’s to leave.
This event lead the Montandon’s to retire from Ministry and move back to Waurika. Waurika was chosen because they had many friends here and it was by far the best place they had ever lived according to Pat Montandon’s memoir, Oh the Hell of it All.
More than once in her book, Pat refers to “growing up” in Waurika, Oklahoma.
The family arrived in town just before WWII. Pat Mondandon can remember the time period because someone from Waurika was nice enough to loan the family a Philco radio so they could listen to news about Hitler bombing Poland.
The death of Charles later on December 31, 1941 had quite an impact on the family. He was only fifty-six.
Myrtle stayed in Waurika to raise the three youngest who were still at home.
The people here were always good to the Montandons.
After Charles passed away, someone in the community purchased them a small home.
An accidental fire burned the house to the ground. Within two months friends in the community found them a much nicer home in a better part of town and even furnished it.
Myrtle would eventually pass away in 1979 in California. She had moved there to be near family, including her daughter, Pat, who had become somewhat of a celebrity by then.
January 1980.
City Manager Stan Patty was given the letter Glendora had written and wrote her back about the possiblity of building the pavillion in their honor.
According the the letter several options had been considered, but the city commissioners decided on remodelling and expanding Harmon Park. Part of the improvements planned for the 22 acre park was to build two pavilions.
The Montandon Pavilion under construction in 1980. Source: Waurika News-Democrat August 14, 1980
Members of the city commission at the time were Mayor Terry Kirkland, Vice Mayor Earl Swanson, H.C. (Jack) James, Bill Fechtel and Ceburn Lovett. The city clerk was Billie Helm.
In the letter Patty advised the cost to build one pavilion was only $2000.00.
In a forthcoming letter Glendora advised they would be happy to have a Pavilion named in her father and mother’s honor and promised a donation to cover the cost.
Glenda Montandon Hill
The plan was to have a permenent marker attached to the pavilion which would read,
“In Memory and the Honor of Reverand C.C. and Mrs. Myrtle C. Montandon.”
According to a picture in the Waurika News-Democrat (see front page), construction was well underway on August 14, 1980.
The contractor for the project was Ron Kerley.
The Montandon family left their mark on Waurika in more ways than one.
Some may recall the fame of their daughter Patricia “Pat” Montandon,
who made a name for herself in San Francisco, California.
Pat left Waurika when she was around 16 or 17 to pursue a career in modeling. Her brother-in-law Cecil Antrim (married to Faye) took money from his juke boxes and candy machines he had located around Waurika in order to pay for her trip to Dallas so she could work for Neiman-Marcus as a clothes model.
Later she migrated to San Francisco, California.
She worked as a columnist for the Sacramento Examiner and hosted her own televsion show.
Montandon published several books including How to be a Party Girl,The Intruders, Whispers from God: A Life Beyond Imaginings, and Oh the Hell of it All. Her memoir Oh the Hell of it All was a response to her son, Sean Wilsey’s book Oh the Glory of it All.
In it she talks about dating Frank Sinatra for a summer. Though she found him charming she didn’t want to marry him.
Later she met and married Melvin Belli, the attorney known as the King of Torts, and the famous attorney who defended Jack Ruby. Their marriage, however, was short lived, lasting only a few days.
Original memorial sign which was mounted on the pavilion and will be re attached once the pavilion has been rebuilt. Photo by Catrina Watters
Over the years Pat Montandon left her mark on the world. She fought for the rights of women, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times, met with 26 world leaders, including Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet President, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India.
Some would consider her a force of nature.
During here lifetime she overcame many trials and tribulations.
In 1987 she received the UN Peace Messenger award.
The Montandons did more than leave their name on a Pavillion in Harmon Park. Through their lives and the lives of their children they left their mark on the world.
A special thank you to Catrina Watters for obtaining the files in the archives from Waurika City Hall and for the pictures of the pavilion.
D-K Metal is a family business. It’s been family owned and operated since day one. The name itself stands for Don, Dora Donnie and Keith (Lisa wasn’t born yet). Thus the D-K Metal Form Company was born. It all began in 1972 at the same location on which it stands today. Before that the building had been a mechanic shop and a car dealership.
The building was built by Mr. Simmons (Bill and June Simmons). Later Hubert Welch bought it and turned it into a mechanic shop. One of the mechanics who worked there was Don Watkins.
Don and Donnie Watkins cut a sheet of metal on a machine inside D-K Metal. At this time, they employed 14 workers. (News-Democrat photo)
Don Watkins and his business partner, owner of Wichita Metal Products of Wichita Falls, had the original idea for the business. Don had been a salesman for a steel supplier known as AMSCO. One of his customer’s was Wichita Metal Products. The owner needed a better supplier. Together they came up the idea of starting their own metal shop. Fifty years later they are still supplying Wichita Metal Products with supplies.
Originally, the Watkins family had to lease the property in order to begin. When they first took over the property they spent a month remodeling the facility in order to convert it for the purpose it fulfills today. Larger doors had to be installed, new wiring had to be run and the huge brake presses and sheers had to be put in place. Once the building was ready, it took about a week for the first load of steel to arrive.
Donnie Watkins remembers being 13 years old when the remodeling process began. At the age of 14 he would ride his motorcycle to work.
Keith Watkins began working in the family business when he was 12, sweeping the floors. Later he was promoted to stacking (and sweeping the floors).
Donnie and Keith have been partners since their father, Don, passed away in 1990 (Their mother Dora passed in 2021). At that time, Keith dropped out of college and came back to help operate the family business. Some have commented, “I don’t see how brothers can work together.” What they don’t realize is that not only are they brothers, they are also best friends.
Donnie is married to the County Assessor, Sandra (daughter of Fred and Betty Richardson former co-owners of Gerken-Richardson Auto in Waurika. Gary and Becky Gerken were the other owners. Becky is Sandra’s sister). Keith is married to Patricia (Martin), she and her father were the previous owners of the bent can store that was located in downtown Waurika.
The Watkins are descendants of Merle and Jewel Watkins and Lester and Thelma Neal. Merle worked for the WPA, was a farmer and worked for the state. The Neals moved here from Sulphur. Lester had worked for a ranch there that moved their operations here and settled near Claypool.
Over the years they have built parts for new military bases and new towns in Saudi Arabia. They built parts used in facilities constructed for the Summer Olympics of 1996 held in Atlanta Georgia. At one time they even built front bumpers for pickup trucks. They also supplied parts for up to 17 manufactured home companies.
They also supplied specialty parts for the Denver Airport. This was a huge job that literally took a toll on Donnie’s health. He has now been retired for four years. However, he still comes by the shop everyday at noon. If he didn’t he says he would go crazy.
Over the years they have been loyal to their customers and their customers have been loyal to them.
At the height of their productivity, D-K would run two shifts per day. Donnie remembers those days because when he would arrive at work he would have to stack the scrap metal left over from the night crew before tackling his duties for the day crew. During that time they employed around 17 people at one time. One of those working at that time was Terry Pilgreen.
Terry Pilgreen, an employee of D-K Metal for nine years. He started working for the business in 1972 when it first opened (Waurika News-Democrat photo)
D-K Metal is a parts builder says Keith. He and Donnie said they take flat metal and shape it and mold it into whatever the customer needs.
Their days are long hot and exhausting. It can also be tedious. Some days a worker will stand in the same position for several hours in repetitive motion contraction the same part over and over again.
It takes a steady hand and complete concentration, especially when you are constructing 10,000 identical pieces.
Things have certainly changed over the years. Donnie says he can remember when metal was only 13 cents per pound. It’s over $1 per pound now. They’ve experienced lean times and prosperous times. Things got really tough after 2008. There were times when they only fired up the machines two times per month. Things were tough during the COVID crises as well.
The Watkins brothers are proud to say their employees have always been like a family. Many of their employees stayed with them over 20 years. Some worked for the Watkins more than 30 years. Donnie says he misses those employees who were his lifelong friends. “If you work with someone for 30 years, 8 and 9 hours per day, you are going to know everything about their kids and things going on in their life. You spend more time with them than you do with your own family,” they said. Just to mention a few, the Gozales brothers, Joe Fannon and Robert Gutierrez, Sr.
picture of D-K Metal employees found in the 1976 Waurika HS yearbook.
Along with employees and former employees, the Watkins have developed close ties with the community. Johnson, Auto and Tractor Supply along with Darrell and Carolyn Beaver and Beaver Lumber Company. Gratefulness is the word that best describes their feelings. The feelings the Watkins feel for their fellow business owners and the feelings the fellow business owners have for them. Johnson Auto extends their congratulations for 50 years of business and have expressed that appreciation with an Ad in this week’s paper. Darrell and Carolyn Beaver as well as their ex employees of Beaver Lumber Company wishes to express their congratulations as well. Darrell said there were times when they would exchange fork lifts or help each other in various ways.
l-r) Keith and Donnie Watkins, owners of D-K Metal Form Co. They have been a part of the family business since 1972. The business was started by their father Don that year. Keith and Donnie are not just brothers, they are best friends! (Photo by Curtis L. Plant)
“All in all it’s been good,” the Watkins say. The business has been their life. However, they wouldn’t trade their lives and experiences for the world. “Maybe for a little extra money,” they joke. But not for the world.
On Saturday, June 2nd, the FRIENDS of the Waurika Public Library are having a used book sale.For $3 we’ll have bags that you can fill with books!DVDs will also be for sale for $1 each.Proceeds will go to help programs and activities at the library.
Summer is right around the corner!The Waurika Public Library invites elementary-aged children, those who will be entering 1st grade through 5th grade in September, to attend this year’s Summer Reading Program. A variety of weekday programming will be offered and lunch will be provided daily for any school-aged child.
The theme this year is Libraries Rock!Programming will run each weekday, June 4-July 27 with the exception of the July 4 holiday.Reading and activities will be from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. with lunch served at 11:30 a.m.Children attending the Summer Reading Program must be picked up by their parent/guardian at noon each day.
Children must be registered to attend. For more information or registration forms, visit the Waurika Public Library or call 580.228.3274.
The Summer Reading Program is free to attend.The public library, community organizations and individuals care about your children. Together we raised funds to offer daily educational programs and week-day lunches to keep your children’s minds and bodies fed this summer. Whether keeping track of the amount of time your children spend reading or the number of books they’ve read this summer, children who attend the Summer Reading Program keep their minds active and enter the new school year ready
to succeed.
For information about events, activities and more, visit our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WaurikaPublicLibrary/
On October 31st, members of WHS FCCLA dressed up in Halloween costumes and went to the elementary school to talk to the students about how to be safe on Halloween night.
FCCLA members split into groups and visited all the classes in the elementary school and talked to the children about safety while trick or treating. They also asked the children Halloween jokes and riddles and passed out pieces of candy.
The children and teachers thoroughly enjoyed FCCLA’s visit.
Waurika FCCLA offers Halloween safety instructions to students.
(STILLWATER, Oklahoma, Nov. 8, 2018) — A familiar face is coming to Oklahoma State University. Broadcast in “America’s Brightest Orange” on the 6,000-square-foot video board during Cowboy football, Gary Busey’s screaming likeness has served as a distraction for opposing teams all season.
Now, the man himself is coming to campus. Busey, a prolific character actor since the 1970s, will speak to students at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 16 in the Student Union Theater. The event is free, but seating is limited.
Busey has a new book, Buseyisms: Gary Busey’s Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. In it, he takes a word and gives it meaning, one letter a time. Love breaks down to “Living On Victorious Energy.” Change becomes “Creating Happiness And New Guiding Energy.” On his website, Busey said, “I have a hobby that’s really wonderful because it helps me understand the meaning of one word with a sentence.”
A book sale and signing will take place after his presentation.
Gary Busey, famous character actor, will speak to students at Oklahoma State University at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 16. Busey will be promoting his new book, Buseyisms: Gary Busey’s Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Busey began his college career at OSU but left to pursue a career in entertainment. He has appeared in more than 150 films. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story in 1978. Busey also had prominent supporting roles in Lethal Weapon, Predator 2, The Firm, Rookie of the Year and more.
On Dec. 4, 1988, Busey was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident when he was not wearing a helmet. As a result of a severe head injury, he was comatose for three months and had to relearn how to eat, walk and talk. After his recovery, he helped create the language for the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996, signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
Spring is officially here, and, plants and trees are really beginning to show their awesome beauty around here. I went over to my peach tree (I think) and wanted to smell the blooms to see if there was an odor to their blooms. There is. There was also a honey bee headed into one of the blooms that I was about to stick close to my nose. I let him have it. We also still have those bugs that look like lady bugs, around town in great numbers. I’ve seen them in peoples homes as well as outside. They are some sort of a Japanese beetle, from what I’ve heard. I do believe they will bite a person, if you are so inclined to pick them up to hold them.
We were blessed with a little bit of rain after church service was over Sunday afternoon. It began a very fine mist as I was going to church at about 9:15am and wound up raining before the sun came out and displayed its’ beauty Sunday afternoon. We welcome any and all precipitation around here. We are still in great need of precipitation. We are in a burn ban, so, be very careful if you strike a match outside your home or in pastures or fields around Jefferson county.
I went to Duncan Saturday afternoon and while I was there, it began to get really cloudy late in the afternoon. It began raining there as I was leaving out around 5:00 in the early evening. We weren’t as fortunate to have been blessed by that same rain system.
This Saturday is the food bank distribution at 10:00am. Also at 1:00 in the park there will be the Easter egg hunt.
Joe Turner is in the Jefferson County Hospital for a little while. Prayers for him as he is in the healing process and for Fern as she travels daily to be with him. Wayne Harrison, Linda’s husband, is in need of our prayers as he recuperates from having had surgery to repair an aneurism. They were unable to make the repair as he sustained a heart attack during his surgical procedure. Linda says that he is doing much better now, though. That is good to hear.
I haven’t spoken about the casino in Terral, since they opened. Brionna, Jim, and I went up there to check it out on the night they opened on March 1. None of us got back what we put into the machines. That seemed to be what was happening with everyone we spoke to that went that day. There has been one lucky individual that got quite a jackpot of nearly $1 million.
The Ryan Family Clinic hosted a party for Brenda Johnson last Friday, as she is nearing her retirement this month. I am not sure if Brenda is looking forward to this occasion or dreading it since all she has ever done in her life is work. Bless her as she begins a new chapter in her life. Her kids and grandkids and siblings will keep her busy, I’ll bet.
Kim’s news for this week:
I enjoy talking to Ron and Traci, I do. Especially about their pet rooster, LaRae.
What a blessed week, I can’t complain. Praise God for the rain.
Everyone have a blessed week. Keep praying for rain and for each other and have a Happy Palm Sunday this coming weekend.
Tonight, the FRIENDS of the Waurika Public Library will have their quarterly meeting at 4:30 pm at the library. Many of the programs at the library are sponsored by the Friends of the Waurika Public Library. The Friends have started their 2018 sponsorship drive. Sponsorship of the Friends starts at just $10. For more information or to become a sponsor, please visit the Waurika Public Library.
On January 11th, the First Baptist Church of Waurika Pre-school class visited the Library. After reading ‘Hide and Snake’, the children did activities including ‘ice-fishing’ and a ring-toss. Next, we toured the Depot museum. The kids had a lot of fun pressing keys on the typewriters. Thanks to Sharon Morgan and Jan Farris for visiting us. We always enjoy field trips!
The Story Of The Boot was a display of family stories in Jefferson County created to
compliment the Smithsonian Institute exhibition at the Rock Island Depot this summer.
These stories have been compiled into a hardback book. Copies of ‘The Story of the Boot’ are $25 and take 2-3 weeks for delivery to the library. If you would like the copy mailed to a location other than the library, please add an additional $5 for shipping and allow for an additional week for mailing.
‘Your Hometown’ is a DVD compilation of videos from the local community. The DVD includes the opening of Veteran’s Park, Brickstreet Classic Car Show, Interviews with residents of Jefferson Co. and more! Copies of the DVD are available at the library for $10 with proceeds going to the Friends of the Waurika Public Library.
Story Time has a new day! Story Time is now on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. Each week, we read stories to pre-k children. After Story Time, we have games, puzzles, and children’s computer games available.
For information about events, activities and more, visit our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/WaurikaPublicLibrary/
Well, we have certainly had some days of wind and cold temperatures, but, if the predictions are correct, Saturday looks like it will be a pretty nice day.That makes for good conditions for all the days plans in downtown Ryan. Be sure to come and be a part of all the action starting at 3:00 pm. I am anxious to see the tree up on the street.
Ryan City Council will be having their regular meeting on December 4th at 6:00 pm. I missed last month’s meeting because I was voting at that time.
There is a blood drive set for December 7th at the Ryan Senior Citizen Center from 3:00 to 6:00.
Our town will be losing a little piece of our history to downtown Denison, Texas.My nephew is buying all of my fountain and the old fixtures and tables that my granddad started within his business. I am glad it is able to stay within the family, even if it doesn’t stay within Ryan. Brian and his wife are both pharmacists and practice in Durant, OK. They have their home in Denison and Brian has just over the last month, purchased a building in downtown Denison, where the fountain and fixtures will make their new home. I am excited for them and the residents in Denison have already been made aware of this fountain coming to their downtown. Brian is wanting to refurbish the old fountain and get it back into working order. Brian ran for a seat on the Denison City Council and there was a tie, and so, when they have a tie, they had a coin flip, and his opponent won the toss. Brian will continue to try to be a part of making plans for Denison. He has gone through some hoops to create some historical markers in Denison, that other people had no interest in making these happen.
Brionna called her grandparents Thursday to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and found out that her granddad was in ICU in the Denison hospital. We have been asking for prayer for his return to good health.
We took Mom to Denison Saturday to get together with her friend from Ola, Idaho. We had a nice visit with Reeta. The day was wonderful for us to travel over there.
Kim’s news for this week:
On Thanksgiving, I ate plenty. I went with Dad, LeVita and Chin Chin to Cousin Jenny’s. All day we had good weather and were able to be together.
Everyone have a blessed week. Pray for each other.
On January 11th, the First Baptist Church of Waurika Pre-school class visited the Library. After reading ‘Hide and Snake’, the children did activities including ‘ice-fishing’ and a ring-toss. Next, we toured the Depot museum. The kids had a lot of fun pressing keys on the typewriters. Thanks to Sharon Morgan and Jan Farris for visiting us. We always enjoy field trips!
