Lt. Col. Wayne B. Fessenden

Lt. Col. Wayne B. Fessenden passed away on July 12, 2019. Wayne was born May 16, 1929 in Burbank, Osage County, Oklahoma to Lloyd and Orpah (Muhr) Fessenden. Following their divorce, he grew up in Blackwell, Oklahoma with his father and stepmother, Lois Louise Blackwell, graduating from Blackwell High School in 1947. He then joined the army, serving in Germany in a band unit for two years. After discharge, he attended the University of Oklahoma, and worked at the Sooner Theater, where he met his future wife, Tula D. McCarty. They were married December 30, 1950. Wayne completed a B.S. in Business and worked in the insurance industry. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 32 years, achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel. His final position was Inspector General for the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard.
Wayne’s avocation was dogs. He raised several breeds, obtained many championships, and became a judge for shows, field trials and obedience, judging throughout the United States. Wayne was a lifetime member of the American Brittany Club, the Indian Nation Brittany Club, the Oklahoma City Obedience Club and the Mid-Del Tinker Kennel Club. Wayne and Tula loved to travel to foreign countries for World Dog Shows. On one trip they brought home a Pumi (a Hungarian herding dog) and were instrumental in forming the American Pumi Club. Wayne was also a long-time member of the Leland Glegg (now Mosaic) United Methodist Church and a Sooners and Thunder fan.
He is preceded in death by his father, mother, step-mother, brother Kenneth Fessenden, and his wife of 68 years, Tula. He is survived by daughter Ann Fessenden and husband Ronald Bock (St. Louis, MO), sister-in-law Betty Fessenden (Irving, TX); sister-in-law Elvera Gresham and husband Steve (Norman); grandsons Michael Bunnell, Ronald Bock, Jr. and Michael Bock; great-grandchildren Thomas, Charles, and Suzann Bunnell; and Jordan, Emily and Regan Bock; nieces Shannon and Shirley Gresham and LeaAnn Fessenden; nephew Mark Fessenden; and great-nephew Jordan Gresham.I