They were among four men from Atoka County killed in recent accidents.
"John had the mental age of a 6-year-old and Ricky a 10-year-old,” said Beverly Anderton, their sister-in-law. While living with their mother, they did odd jobs, including mowing lawns.
"We called them boys, and they were loved by the community and the family,” Beverly Anderton said.
She said Ricky Anderton loved to ride bicycles with his nephew, Ronnie II, and both brothers loved to watch television.
Ronnie and Beverly Anderton took over care of the brothers after their 84-year-old mother died in October. The brothers had been working at a Goodwill store in Dallas.
After the family discovered the fire, the brothers were awakened and told to go outside. For an unknown reason, they went back to their bedroom at one end of the house, Allen said.
Ronnie and Beverly Anderton escaped the fire along with five other family members and two family friends.
Ronnie Anderton tried to save his brothers but couldn’t do so, Allen said.
The house was destroyed, he said.
The Andertons were set to close this week on the 3,960 square-foot house with a huge front porch, seven bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms. Now they are looking for a house big enough for their family.
Beverly Anderton said with the children scattered with relatives, their primary desire is to get the family back together.
"We got food and clothing vouchers from the Red Cross and churches,” she said, "but what we need is money.”
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ALSO IN ATOKA ...
Deaths hit
area hard
"This has been a rough week,” said Eddie Brown, funeral home owner, of 3,000-person Atoka in southeastern Oklahoma.
Besides Johnny Burr Anderton, 57, and Ricky Dale
Anderton, 51, two other men in the community have died in recent
accidents.
Jason R. Devaney, 34, of rural Atoka County died Dec. 31 when he was electrocuted in Center, Texas.
Devaney’s funeral was Tuesday.
J.C. Myers, 61, of rural Atoka County died Jan. 3 in a head-on fire truck accident with his son, Justin.
The younger Myers was headed to the fire station when smoke blinded both men’s vision leading up to the crash.
The elder Myers was the founder of the fire department, Brown said.
His funeral services are today.
HOW TO HELP
Donations
Contributions for the Anderton family can be made by calling Atoka Family Services at (580) 889-5555.
Funeral
Services for Johnny Burr Anderton and Ricky Dale Anderton are Sunday at Brown’s Funeral Service in Atoka.
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