James Kenneth Choate

Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at Dowdy-Marker Funeral Home, 201 West Commercial St. Haskell, OK 74436. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at the First Baptist Church, Haskell, OK with burial following in the Haskell Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by American Legion Post 56.
In lieu of flowers, it was Kenneth's wish that donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, https://t2t.org or the Wounded Warrior Project, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.
In the early morning hours of June 8, 2025, at the age of 93, James Kenneth Choate passed away peacefully at his home. He will be deeply missed, but rest assured, he is in the presence of our Lord and Savior and has been reunited with many family members and friends.
Kenneth was born on January 23rd, 1932, in Vivian, Oklahoma to Aaron Davis Choate and Edna Zell (Rippy) Choate. He married Lorene Virginia Mathews on June 16th, 1954 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Kenneth was a kind and gentle man who loved the Lord and his Country. He gave generously of himself to his family and friends with unconditional love. He proudly served in the Army 45th Division and was a veteran of the Korean War. He will be greatly missed.
When he was able, he and Lorene loved to travel in their RV to many places with family and friends. He was a member of the Haskell Masonic Lodge, a deacon for many years at First Baptist Church Haskell, and a lifetime member of the National Guard Association. He loved watching sports and was the announcer for the Haskell Haymakers for 27 years. One of his favorite memories was being selected for the Honor Flight in 2015 and having his brother Charles by his side. Kenneth considered spending time with his family as his favorite pastime.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lorene Virginia Choate; three daughters, Cheryl Collins (husband Jamie) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Kendra Reeves (husband Tracy)of Alma, Arkansas, and Michelle Gaertner (husband Jonathan) of Lebanon, Tennessee: 3 grandchildren, Rikki Ogden (husband Abe) of Westminster, Colorado, James Tyler Qualls (wife Jenny) of Bremerton, Washington, and Makyla Clark (husband Chad) of Okay, Oklahoma; 5 Great Grandchildren, Chase Clark, Arthur Ogden, Nathan Qualls, Mylee Clark, and Wesley Ogden; Brother, Charles Choate (wife Judy) and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.