James Elsberry Jr.

James Huey Elsberry, Jr., 71, of Pawhuska, Okla. walked on Sunday afternoon, May 20, 2018, while a patient at the Veterans Hospital in Muskogee, Okla. Staff, patients and family gave tribute to the veteran escorting him from the facility with the ‘honor walk.'

Funeral services will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, May 26 at the Grayhorse Chapel, rural Fairfax with Pastor Kyle Rhodes of the First Osage Baptist Church officiating. Burial will follow in the Grayhorse Cemetery under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home. A reception at the 3 Sisters' Camp at Grayhorse in honor of James will be held after burial.

Born to James Huey and Anna Louise (Faust) Elsberry, Sr. on January 26, 1947, in Wichita, Kan., James was the fourth child of seven children. He spent his early life in Fairfax, attending school with his siblings and graduating with the Red Devil class of 1965. After graduation, he attended college at OU in Norman under the ROTC program.

In September 1969, he joined the Army, while serving his country for four years he obtained the rank of Captain in August 1972. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal; Ranger Tab; and Parachute Badge before serving an additional two years in the Army Reserve. He had two daughters, Jamie and Julie with his first wife Nancy.

James worked as a photographer and lived in Calif., Alaska, and New Mexico before returning to Pawhuska, Okla. He did photography work for the Osage Tribal Museum until he retired. He was a member of the Osage Nation and Pawhuska American Legion Post #198. As a huge OU fan, he enjoyed watching sports and news stories on TV.

Surviving James are his wife, Carole of the home in Pawhuska; two daughters from his first marriage, Jamie Carver and Julie Ritter both of Mesa Ariz.; four grandsons, Cameron Carver, Kyle Carver, Tyler Ritter, Brandon Ritter; two brothers, Harry A. (Mary) Elsberry of Skiatook, Okla., Charles C. (Dorothy) Elsberry of Prescott, Ariz.; two sisters, Kay (Ken) Bills of Grayhorse, Donnella "Dody" (Raymond) Goad of Wilburton, Okla.; two aunts Lucille York of Tulsa, Anna Faye Sharp of John Day, Ore.; two uncles, John (Delona) Elsberry of Moore, Jim (Linda) Elsberry of Tulsa; double cousins Steve (Annie) Elsberry and Max (Lynn) Elsberry all of Stillwater and many other extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Gary Eugene Elsberry and Nadine Gordon; paternal grandparents, C.C. and Maiden (Armstrong) Elsberry, and maternal grandparents, Harry and Anna (Morton) Faust.

Pallbearers will be Huey Keeling, David Keeling, Ken Bills, Charles Elsberry, Steve Elsberry, and Joe White. Honorary pallbearers are Johnny Williams, Max Elsberry and Lou Brock.

Memorial donations in memory of James may be mailed or dropped off at: Osage Family Crisis Center, 126 E 6TH ST, Pawhuska OK 74056-4204 or for more information phone (918) 287-5422.

James online guestbook may be signed at www.hunsakerwootenfuneralhome.com

Visitation

Public Viewing

Grayhorse Chapel
Grayhorse Village-Rural Fairfax
Fairfax, OK  74637
Friday, May 25, 2018
10 am

Service

Funeral Service

Grayhorse Chapel
Grayhorse Village-Rural Fairfax
Fairfax, OK  74637
Saturday, May 26, 2018
2 pm

Cemetery

Grayhorse Cemetery
Grayhorse Village East of Fairfax
Fairfax, OK  74637

Memorial Contributions

Family Violence Program
126 E 6th ST
Pawhuska, OK  74056