J.D. Stokes (courtesy of the Hugo Daily News - used with permission)
     Services for J.D. Stokes were held Monday, Jan. 26, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. in the Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home Chapel.
     Jesse D. "J.D." Stokes, of Fort Towson went home to be with Jesus on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004. ÒJ.D.,Ó as he was known, was born Dec. 20, 1924 in Fort Towson, Okla., to W.W. and Donnie (Burley) Stokes. He had lived in the Fort Towson community his entire 79 years.
     He married June Frances Bokies on Aug. 29, 1947 in Gainesville, Texas. He was a World War II veteran, having served in the Navy. He had been a dairy farmer, owning and operating one of the first dairies in Choctaw County. He later operated the Texaco station in  Fort Towson for 10 years, and then worked as maintenance superintendent for the Weyerhaeuser nursery, located north of Fort Towson from which he later retired.
     J.D. served as Mayor and city councilman of Fort Towson for 26 years. Accomplishments during  his tenure included the new City Hall, community center and museum, new fire stations, new sidewalks and lighting, new sewer system, new depot building and nutrition center. He was a member of the Fort Towson United Methodist Church, having served as chairman of the administrative board for a number of years. He was an active participant in Fort Towson Homecoming for more than 20 years.
     J.D. was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Thornton Nicklas and Thurston Nicklas; one sister, Olive Speriky and one daughter, Vera Kaye Stokes.
     He is survived by his wife, June Frances Bokies Stokes of the home; two sons: Don Stokes of Lake Hava-Su City, Ariz., and Ron Stokes of Stillwater, Okla.; two daughters: Nikki Robertson of Deer Park, Texas and Mendy Hostetler, of Billings, Okla; 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
     Burial followed in the Fort Towson cemetery in Fort Towson, Okla., under the direction of Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home of Hugo.
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