Funeral services for William Travis Swinford Jr. will be held at Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home Chapel in Walters, OK, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., with burial at Walters Cemetery. William Travis Swinford Jr., known as Travis, was born to William Travis “Buster” and Elizabeth (Brownlee) Swinford on November 15, 1937, in Walters, OK, and passed away in Yukon, OK, on November 2, 2024, at the age of 86 years, 11 months, and 18 days. Travis grew up in Walters, OK, and graduated from Faxon High School in 1956. Early in his life, he worked for area farmers, drove a taxi, and worked in construction in Lawton before moving to the oilfields of Pampa, TX. He married Joan Bennett in 1959, with two children, Danny and Dannett, born to the union. In 1971, he married Vera Ruth Gunsalis, and their son, William “Billy,” was born.
In Pampa, TX, Travis purchased a farm in Faym, OK, and began working for FWA with his “Uncle Cracker,” staying with the company for 32 years and handling all aspects of oilfield work. He also purchased a farm in 1982 and retired from FWA in 1992. He farmed for a year before being approached by EOG to become an oilfield consultant, from which he retired in 2001.
Travis enjoyed watching westerns and reading western books, such as those by Louis L’Amour. He was a longtime member of the Masonic Lodge, an avid football fan, and supported the Dallas Cowboys and the Chiefs. He loved eating chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, and he had a fondness for whiskey and Diet Coke. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing at his ponds, camping, and boating at the lake, often wearing jeans while skiing and later wearing boots with shorts. He also shared his life with many dogs, including Spud, TD, and one simply named Dog.
Travis was preceded in death by his parents, Buster and Elizabeth Swinford Landrum; a sister, Minnie Ruth King; his son-in-law, Jerry Adams; and his companion of 25 years, Lanear Phillips. Survivors include his three children, Danny Swinford and Davena of Woodward, OK; Dannett Adams of Washington, OK; and William Swinford and Chastity of Yukon, OK; two sisters, Olga Gene Richards and Toby of Benton, AR, and Nancy King of Vine Grove, KY; a brother, George Swinford of Hammon, OK; five grandchildren, Matthew Paul Swinford and Jessica, Jeremy Clarence Adams and Johnna, Kaylie Elizabeth Swinford, Chesney Nicole Blanco and Ramon, and Alexa Brooke Swinford; four great-grandchildren, Nicole, Aubrey, Chase, and Skylar, plus one on the way, Oliver; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
