Mr. John "Buddy" Langford

John Milburn “Buddy” Langford, age 91, of Sawyer, Oklahoma, went home to be with his Lord and Savior that he loved and served for many years, on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at Charlton Methodist Hospital. Buddy, as he was nicknamed by his grandpa and known by everyone who knew him, was born on July 27, 1928, in Sawyer, Oklahoma, to Leonard and Vic Langford. He spent most of his life as an over the road truck driver, having worked for Red Ball Motor Freight for 32 years and then retiring from Kroger Food Stores after 13. He got his start driving trucks at the ripe age of 7 or 8. His father passed away when he was just a small boy and his mother married a widower named Claud Tully. His mother had four boys, Billy, Buddy, Herbert and Hershel and Claud had six children from his first wife that passed, Grady, Clarence, Willard, Myrtle, Bonnie and Audie. Claud and Vic had three children together, Claudie, Lloyd and Ruthie, 13 kids in all. Claud was a farmer by trade and worked the fields in various places all over Oklahoma and Texas. Buddy was called upon to drive the truck since his step-dad didn’t see well at night. They picked cotton, apples, watermelons and just about every kind of fruit imaginable. He grew up in Farmersville and Quanah but moved to Houston where his step-dad worked for Harris County doing construction. It was here he met the love of his life, Alice Futch. Buddy and Alice were married on June 4, 1949.

Buddy loved doing yard work and was one of the hardest working men you would ever meet. He served the Lord as a deacon and led the ministry to the homeless of Dallas by taking a group of people to the Union Gospel Mission for church services. Countless men’s lives were saved as a result of this monthly outreach. Buddy was very active in men’s ministry, going on outings, men’s retreats and Promise Keeper’s Rallies, as well as attending prayer breakfasts. Buddy had the most contagious spirit that was like a magnet that drew people to him. Everyone that knew him loved him and after meeting him, you felt like you had known him all your life. Buddy and Alice had three boys, Jerry, Freddy and Randy. He loved his family and was the epitome of a family man. Buddy and Alice have 15 grandkids, 12 great grandkids and 2 great, great grandkids. He loved and adored each and every one of them. He used to say about his sons, “I have the best sons in the world and wouldn’t trade them for anything.” He loved his church family and truly cared about every single member and guest. He loved to read and study his Bible and is probably talking and fellowshipping with Dr. J. Vernon McGee right now. Buddy was a prayer warrior and was always eager to lead a prayer in class or in church. The one thing his family knew about him beyond a shadow of a doubt was that he was genuine, honest, dependable and hard-working. He set an incredible example for all of us to follow. He will always be in his family’s hearts and minds.

He is survived by his wife of 70 ½ years, Alice, his three sons and their wives, Jerry and Peggy, Freddy and Debbie and Randy and Holly; by his grandchildren Kim Luce and husband Michael, John, Paige, Kyle, Kelly, Shelby Igaz and husband Tommy, Aaron, Andrew, Jonathan, Anna and husband Alec, Jeremy, Denise Zinser and husband Duke, Leslie Russell and husband Jason, Chandra Thompkins and Jason and wife Leia; by his great grandchildren Bailey McNeil and husband Justin, Macey Lee, Payton, Lauren, Morgan, Cohen, Arden, Lily and Luke Zinzer and Ridge Russell; and by his great, great grandchildren Aizen Luce and R. J. Young.