Donald Ray Wilder

Funeral services for Donald Ray Wilder will be held on Friday, September 9th, 2016 at 10:00 AM at the Reed-Culver Chapel with Pastor Dale Wilson officiating. Visitation will be held from noon until 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Chapel on Thursday, September 8th, 2016. Interment will be held at Greenleaf Cemetery near Tahlequah, OK. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Donald include Jason Wilder, Kendall Bridges, Eric Anthony, Dakota Wacoche, Michael Wacoche, and Alex “Bear” Wacoche. Honorary pallbearers include his brothers, Sydney “Dean” Wilder, Billy Ray Wilder, Robert Wilder, Arthur Wilder, and Billy Lee Murphy.

Donald Ray Wilder was born on August 20th, 1949 in Coweta, OK, the son of William Lee Wilder and Lizzie Bell (Murphy) Pitts. He attended Tahlequah High School. Don worked as a construction worker, but was a multi-talented man. He loved living in Alaska and had built his own cabin in the wilderness. Don was a free spirit, always longing to be outdoors and working at something. He loved fishing and hunting. He was talented at finding the wild mushrooms and onions where they grew. He raised beautiful vegetable and flower gardens, and shared what he grew with anyone that wanted it. He loved to make people laugh, and see them happy. He was always happy to see his family and friends for a visit. He liked to keep life simple, enjoying time with his family as he found it. Don passed from this life on September 5th, 2016 in Tahlequah, OK. He was 67 years old. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Donald is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ronald in 1972, and grandparents, Henry and Cherokee Murphy, and John and Almeda Wilder.

Donald is survived by his two daughters, Shannon Pritchett and husband Jackie of Woodall, OK, and Windy Groat and husband Andy of Hulbert, OK. He leaves his four brothers and one sister, Betty Sue Anderson of Tahlequah, OK, Dean Wilder and wife Helen of Tahlequah, Ok, Billy Ray Wilder and wife Darlene of Tahlequah, OK, Robert Wilder and wife Heidi of Woodall, OK, and Arthur Wilder and wife Beth of Briggs, OK. He lives on in his five grandchildren, Danny Kirk Jr. of Tahlequah, Katelynn Pritchett of Tahlequah, Amanda Pritchett of Tahlequah, Ashley Groat of Muskogee, and Hayden Groat of Hulbert, and Kash of Keys, OK. He also leaves his sister-in-law, Pearlene Archer of Tahlequah, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.