Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church, Walters, OK, Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., Rev. Kevin Simpson officiating, with interment in the Walters Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be Thursday evening, August 21 from 6–8:00 p.m. at Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Walters.
Noel Gene Sturdivant was born to Noel Dwight and Melba Marie (Woods) Sturdivant on January 5, 1933 at Pumpkin Center, OK and departed this life in Temple, OK on August 18, 2025 at the age of 92 years, 7 months and 13 days.
Gene grew up in the Pumpkin Center Community, coming to Walters where he finished high school, graduating from WHS in 1952. He soon joined the military in 1953, serving his country honorably in the U.S. Army and the Oklahoma National Guard.
He married Frankie Dee (Cole) Paul on December 25, 1959 in Oklahoma City where they lived while he finished barber school. They eventually moved to Walters where he took his dad’s chair in the barber shop beside Jack Blair. After years of barbering he took a job with Brown and Root, helping build the Goodyear Plant. He then hired on with Goodyear in 1979, retiring in 1996.
He enjoyed farming and loved horses, as he did breaking, training and even jockeying in his younger years. He enjoyed going to all of Orvil and Sunny’s ballgames that he possibly could. Gene was a member of First Baptist Church in Walters, and also enjoyed attending Temple FBC.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Dwight and Melba Sturdivant; his wife, Frankie in 2013; his son, Eddie Paul; and his sister, Nova Richardson.
Survivors include two sons, Orvil Sturdivant and Debbie of Temple, OK, and Bobby Paul of Lawton, OK; a daughter-in-law, Cindy Paul of Moore, OK; seven grandchildren, Kelli Paul and Ryan Phillips, Jason Paul and Angie, Jeremy Ledford and Lisa, Ryan Ledford and Stephanie, Sunny Ledford and Robert, Beau Paul and Rylee, Lessli Walkup and Tito; 15 great-grandchildren, Ryan, Emily, Gavin, Haley, Kelsey, Jeffrey, Trevin, Trapper, Corbin, Conner, Slade, Walker, Frankie, Braxton, and Brynlee; numerous great-great-grandkids, other relatives, and friends.
