Richard Leon Emartha

Funeral services for Richard Leon Emartha will be held on Wednesday, February 12th, 2020 at 11:00 Am at the DD Etchieson Indian Methodist Church in Tahlequah, OK. Services will be conducted by Reverend Pat Freeman and Reverend Judy Deere. Online condolences for his family may be sent to www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers include his grandsons and nephews, Patrick Tims, Pryce Jackson, Ayden Tims, Matthew Sumpter, Billie Flint and Phillip Bread. His honorary pallbearers include Haskell Alexander, Winfred Harjo, Stan Smith and Brian Miller.

Richard Leon Emartha was born on Sunday, August 26th, 1951 in Wewoka, OK, the son of James and Flora (McGirt) Emartha. He was raised in a family with his brother Benjamin and two sisters, Margaret and Jamie. He attended and graduated from Wewoka High School, where he loved to play softball and basketball, then attended East Central University. He moved to Ada and worked for the City Of Ada as a Sanitation Technician. He married and started his family that would include one son and four daughters, Neenah, Angela, Jerome, Selena, and Stefanie, the children he adored. He would later retire to the Tahlequah area, and was very active at the DD Etchieson Indian Methodist Church. He loved singing the old gospel songs, and never missed a chance to spend time with his church family. He was happy to go do a bit of fishing, hunting and teach his grandchildren the art of bow hunting, he was a master. He had played fast pitch softball, basketball and football when he was young and couldn’t wait to coach his children to do the same. When he had a little spare time on his hands, he was always attending sporting events that involved his grandchildren, he was their biggest fan. Afterward, he would tell them it was time to go get something to eat, he loved sharing a meal and talking with his grandkids. Richard was always ready to go on a road trip, anywhere in Oklahoma was good to explore. He was a genuine people person, he was everybody’s friend. He enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, the laughter of his grandkids, holding a new baby, and watching the sun go down. He was proud of his Seminole heritage and his ancestry, and shared his family story with the grandchildren. The Lord called this good and faithful servant home from his many labors on Saturday, February 8th, 2020 in Tahlequah, OK, with his children by his side. He was 68 years old, and will be missed.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Marcus and Lucy Emarthla, his Mom and Dad, James and Flora Emartha, his son Jerome in 2001, one brother Benjamin Emarthle, and two sisters, Margaret Emarthle and Jamie Sumpter.

He is survived by his children, Neenah Tiger of Tulsa, OK, Angela Emarthle of Muskogee, Selena Emarthle of Muskogee and Stefanie Emarthle of Tulsa, OK. He will live on in his 9 grandchildren, Deleigh Emarthle of Muskogee, Asya Tims of Muskogee, OK, Patrick Tims Jr of Ada, OK, Pryce Jackson of Muskogee, Ayden Tims of Muskogee, Rayne Jackson of Muskogee, twins Lawson and Nelson Tiger of Tulsa, OK, and Keilani Emarthle of Muskogee, OK. There are also two great grandchildren, Eliana Emarthle –Cherry and Emoree Emarthle-Cherry, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.