Vernon Gene Avants, 92, died Thursday, November 23, 2023, at Stillwater Medical Center in Stillwater, OK following lengthy illnesses. A visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm at Strode Funeral Home, 610 S. Duncan St. in Stillwater. Funeral Services will begin at 2:00pm Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the First Baptist Church, 701 S. Duncan St., Stillwater. A graveside service will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, 6500 S. Perkins Rd., Stillwater.

Vernon was born October 2, 1931, about four and a half miles South of Ralston, Oklahoma in a district called Coal Creek to Alfred Andrew and Sally M. (McCray) Avants. Vernon was the fourth of nine children.

Shortly after Vernon's birth, his father was offered a job in Bartlesville, OK. They lived there briefly before moving back to the Ralston area. His father worked as a farmer with Carl and Myrtle Wills. The family temporarily lived in a two-room house on the farm before returning to the home where Vernon had been born. Vernon had fond memories of the home in which he had been born. His grandparents, Thomas Music and Della Arella (Rose) lived about two miles South off the road from Ralston to Skeedee. His mother's parents lived further South off the road just entering Skeedee. The family were all close and enjoyed spending a lot of time together.

Vernon attended the first and half of his second-grade year in school at Ralston, OK. The family then moved to Blackburn, OK where he attended Pleasant Mound School through the seventh grade, eighth grade at Blackburn, OK and then to Pawnee High School.

An important milestone to Vernon was when he became a Christian at the age of twelve. He would always remember the song being sung when he made that decision, "At the Cross." The Avants family helped Reverend Bob Cargil to start the First Baptist Church in Blackburn, OK. Later in life, this is where his father, Alfred Avants, was called to his heavenly home while leading the congregation in the hymn, "When We All Get to Heaven." Vernon had always heard his dad say he hoped he was serving the Lord when it was his time.

In the Winter of 1947, Vernon and his best buddy, Clarence Byrom and another brother decided to join the Army. One of the brothers had already served in the Army during World War II. They went to Tulsa to enlist but Vernon was too young and would have to get his parents' permission to enlist, which they did the next week. He enlisted at the early age of 17 in January 1948. He was sent to basic training at Fort Sill, OK., then on to Camp Gordon, GA. At Camp Gordon, he attended High Speed Radio Operator School and Teletype School. He would then be ordered to California for deployment to Okinawa. Vernon was assigned to the 808th Engineering Battalion attached to the 5th AirForce. After it was known he could type over 70+ words a minute on an old manual typewriter he was assigned as a Battalion Headquarters Clerk. In 1950, his unit was moved to Korea during the Korean Conflict where they built an airstrip South of Kumsum. Vernon always had a caring heart for his family and others. As young as he was while in the Army, he had 80% of his pay sent home to help his parents and many younger siblings. His caring and helping others carried through his entire adult life.

While in Korea, Vernon asked his sister, Marie (Avants) Walker to have someone she thought was a nice girl write to him. Doris Nadine Keith had a beautiful smile, warm laugh and a kindhearted spirit. This is what caught the attention of her (unknown at the time) future sister-in-law. It took a while, but Marie finally convinced Doris to write to her brother who was in the Army and overseas at the time. What was a reluctant start become two years of corresponding through letters. Once Vernon returned from overseas, they met for the first time, it only took three months until they married. Vernon and his lifelong love celebrated 65 years of marriage before his beautiful wife passed away following a brief illness. There was never a day that passed when he did not talk about her, and he was always reminding his family how lucky we all were. He looked forward to seeing her again and missed her terribly.

After a year of marriage, the two moved to Wichita, Kansas where Boeing Aircraft Company employed both Vernon and Doris. Vernon began as an A&E Aircraft Mechanic. Doris worked five months until after learning that their first child was on the way.

During the 19.5 years working with Boeing, he worked on testing for the Air Force on the B47 and all series of the B52's. Vernon was on the crew that built the very first B52 and on a project that later became known as AWACs (Early Warning and Control). Much of the work he was assigned to was considered Top Secret. He was sent to California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Michigan, Connecticut and overseas assignments. Some of these assignments were long enough for the family to move with him. He worked on Missile programs in Alamogordo, New Mexico (three years) and Fort Walton Beach Florida (one and a half years). In 1968, he was sent with Boeing to Okinawa to help repair Marine helicopters that were being used in the Vietnam Conflict.

In his "spare time" Vernon sold real estate in Wichita and attended Wichita State University.

Due to the nature of his work with Boeing many of the hours he worked were at night while his family's life was on the opposite schedule. Vernon made the decision to change careers and move to Oklahoma. He wanted to be a part of his children's lives before they were all grown and gone. Also, both sets of their parents were aging and in need of assistance. After the family's final move to Stillwater, he worked at Vincent Chevrolet selling cars for about seven years. Mercury Marine then employed him for 15.5 years before he retired.

He loved serving his Lord and before losing his eyesight, he would study and read through the Bible three times each year.

His wife, Doris Nadine (Keith) Avants, his parents Alfred Andrew Avants and Sally M. (McCray) Avants, his son, Ronald Avants, three brothers, one sister and one great-grandchild predeceased him.

Survivors include his three daughters, Cheryl (Avants) Maye of Stillwater, Melinda (Avants) Williams and her husband Joe of Ada, Janice (Avants) Cox and her husband, Tad of Stillwater; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and numerous other beloved family members.