84th Oklahoma Hall of Fame features seven special honorees

Tommy and Cathy Franks enjoy the Oklahoma Hall of Fame evening. (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace).

The 84th annual Oklahoma Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony,  the state’s highest honor, featured seven honorees at the Cox Convention Center.

Oklahoma Heritage Association members and Gaylord-Pickens Museum were hosts for the event.

Honorees Tommy Franks, Harold Hamm, Marques Haynes, Cathy Keating, Steve Malcolm, Elizabeth Warren and Roger Miller (posthumously) were special in every way. They were articulate in their speeches, gracious in their praise for Oklahoma and kind to all the guests, some of whom were asking for autographs.

Introducing the honorees were Clay Bennett, David L. Boren, Bill Russell, Sam Donaldson, Alison Anthony, T. Boone Pickens. Country singer Dean Miller, represented the Roger Miller  family, singing a version of his father’s 1964 hit, “King of the Road.” He accepted the award on behalf of the family.

Masters of ceremonies were Burns Hargis and Mike Turpen.

On the technical arrangement committee were Shannon Rich, chairman, and Gini Moore Campbell, co-chairman, Paul Christensen, Clint Daily, Leon Smith, Hargis, Kent Kidwell, Mickie Smith, Steve Taylor, Bill Thrash and Turpen. On the program committee were Bill Anoatubby, chairman, Kathy Taylor, co-chairman, Michael Cawley, Millie Craddick, Becky Dixon, Ford Drummond, Patricia Evans, Gib Gibson, Fred Harlan, Stan Stamper and Ty Tyler. Calvin J. Anthony is Oklahoma Heritage Association Chairman of the Board.