EARL LOCKETT

Earl Wayne “Red” Lockett, 89, of Magnolia died Friday, May 19, 2017, at the John R Williamson Hospice House in El Dorado following months of bravely fighting leukemia.

He was born April 25, 1928, to James “Jim” Newton and Lora (Grimmett) Lockett in Stephens. Growing up he loved fishing and excelled in sports in softball, baseball, basketball, and football.

Earl graduated from Magnolia High School in 1946. After graduating he chose to enlist in the United States Army during the German occupation, where he served in Bad Tolz as a military police officer with the “Big Red One” Division. He played on the Army softball and basketball teams while there.

Upon returning home in 1948, he went to work on a drilling rig. In 1953 he met his future wife of 62 years, Janice Davis, and was married on June 5, 1954. They moved to Hobbs, N.M., where he became employed with Baker Oil Tools as a service engineer for six and a half years. He transferred to Baker International to work in the Lake Maracaibo area and Anaco, Venezuela, and Columbia for four years.

He and Janice returned to the States in 1963, settling in Hope, and became established in the self-service and automatic car wash business and also raised broiler chickens. He enjoyed bowling, where he rolled a couple of 550 scores, and playing golf and bridge.

In 1980 he sold the car washes, moved to Magnolia, and went to work in the oil fields as a consultant with Ralph Goble at J.W. Operating Co. In 1988 the oil industry slowed down and he moved on to El Dorado to be the brine foreman for Arkansas Chemical in Wesson. In 1996 he retired from Great Lakes Chemical. A year he later moved back to Magnolia to the Lake Wood Town Homes where he was vice president and president off and on for seventeen years. He played golf almost every day unless it was too hot, wet, cold, there were too many leaves or he did not feel like it.

He was a wonderful person, good natured, got along with everyone, was kind, helpful, and dearly loved by all. There was little he would not tackle. He was very ingenious and could always find a way to do anything.

He was preceded in death by his parents; baby sister Joyce Dean; older brother John Edward and wife Zelta; nephew Johnny Lockett; great-niece Katy Marie Lockett; and many extended family of Grimmetts, Locketts, Birchfields, and Baileys.

Earl is survived by his wife Janice Lockett of Magnolia; nephew Ronny Wayne Lockett and wife Nancy of Zachary, La.; brother-in-law Jerry Wayne Davis and wife Donna Lou of Hobbs, N.M.; nephews Scot Davis and Neal Davis of North Olmsted, Ohio; niece Cathy Davis of Kaysville, Utah, Jadi Davis of Hobbs, N.M., Kaci Haskell and husband Bryan of Dallas, Texas; great-niece Jaci Fay Haskell of Dallas, Texas; great nephews Jeremy Lockett of Baton Rouge, La., Alan, Clint, Bret, and Brad Davis of North Olmsted, Ohio, Tye Haskell of Dallas, Texas, and Clay Northcutt of Hobbs, N.M.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Cremation services were provided by Lewis Funeral Home Inc. in Magnolia. To sign the online guest book or to share a memory visit www.lewisfuneralhome.biz.

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