Funeral Services for Emet Graft, 11:00 AM, Wednesday November 22, 2023, in the Clinton First Baptist Church, officiated by Pastor Kent Jaggers and Pastor Don Ross. Burial will follow in the Clinton Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.
Charles Emet Graft was born October 9, 1943, to Rene and Mildred (Ashton) Graft in Clinton, OK and passed away Saturday, November 18, 2023, in the River Valley Nursing Home in Clinton, OK.
Emet spent his childhood on the family farm in north Custer County raising cattle and farming wheat. He was an explorer and liked to see what was on the other side of the hill. He would walk to Mrs. Coit’s house, who lived one mile south, and borrow a book and perhaps some extra dessert she might have around. He liked to walk to the Burmah Store, owned by his Aunt Dwade Skelton picking up bottles along the way, to sell for a cold 10 cent pop. It was only an eight-mile round trip.
He started the first grade in the fall of 1948, he went to Independence and four years later to Custer City where he graduated in 1961. Upon graduation, he served six months active duty with Army Reserves in Fort Leonard Wood, MO. He had to wait two extra weeks to take Rabie shots for a cat bite. In January of 1962 he started at Oklahoma State University. Then the love bug bit him and he and Beth Anne Sutton were married on May 31, 1963, in Clinton. He then finished his education at Southwestern State in Weatherford with a master’s degree. He received his honorable discharge to the Reserves in 1969.
His love of sports led him to his fist job, high school basketball and baseball coach at Butler, OK. In 1972 he accepted the principal’s job In Leedey, OK and taught until May of 1983. He then went to work for the Ward family in the First State Bank of Camargo, OK. Then moving to the American State Bank of Thomas, OK in June of 1984, which later was to become The Bank of the West where he retired in Leedey in 2009.
Emet grew up attending Vicksburg Church and gave his life to the Lord at the age of nine. He and Beth Anne had two beautiful daughters, Leesa Anne, and Anngela Beth, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Upon retiring from the bank Emet and Beth Anne made their home in Clinton, OK where he attended the Clinton First Baptist Church where he served as deacon and was a faithful and active member.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Jim Graft.
He is survived by his wife, Beth Anne, of the home, daughter, Leesa, and her husband, Dayne Baldwin, and Anngela Lambeth all of Clinton.
He is also survived by granddaughter, Lacee Castro and husband, Steven Castro, Weatherford OK, Grandson’s, Lanne Baldwin, and Grafton Lambeth and wife Devon of Clinton, great grandchildren, Kaiden Cline, Tegan Vargas, Aaron Castro and Tidus Castro and a sister Joan Morgan, numerous nieces, nephews and of other relatives.