A farewell to people with Oklahoma ties who enjoyed the game day experience:
*Bob Kelso was a star football player at Ada High School. He was selected to The Oklahoman's All-State team in 1963 after leading the Cougars in rushing. Ada was 35-10-1 with one Class A state championship with Kelso starting either at tackle or fullback. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder held the school record in the bench press at 220 pounds. He attended Oklahoma on a football scholarship but finished his accounting major at East Central in Ada. By trade, Kelso spent 27 years working for the Internal Revenue Service. He died at age 66.
*Longtime youth sports coach Jerry Fisher died at age 75 after suffering a stroke. Fisher spent 20 years in the Air Force, retiring as a tech sergeant; he then spent another 20 years as a civil service employee for the Air Force. The Good Hope, Ill., native had a commitment to coaching or umpiring youth-league sports, including baseball, softball and soccer in the Del City area. Several of Fisher's softball teams were local and regional champions. Also an avid golfer who spent many retirement days on the Tinker course.
*Chuck Turci was an investment officer for Bank of Oklahoma. Off time was devoted to soccer, often as a referee instructor. Turci once coordinated the Sooner State Games' massive soccer competition. The New York native was an Oklahoma City resident for more than 50 years. He died recently at age 69.
*Donnie McMahon, 80, was a longtime cyclist. He participated in the Oklahoma Freewheel, a seven-day tour across the state. The Korean War veteran was a Yukon resident.
*Fred Odom, a quadriplegic, competed in the Wheelchair Olympics in 1983. The Oklahoma City resident finished second in a 15-kilometer race during the Oklahoma Run of '84 at Lake Hefner. The East Central University graduate died at age 61.
*Other Oklahomans with sports backgrounds who died recently include: Vernon Land, 81, a competitive shooter. Member of the Oklahoma High Power Rifle Team. ... Blanquita Terrill Dye, 87, a former girls basketball player at Burneyville High School. ... Janet Cartmill, 58, wife of late Santa Fe South football coach Mike Cartmill. Mrs. Cartmill once worked for the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, the governing body for high school athletics. ... Leon Manuel Sr., 86, race car builder and driver. ... Dollie Shoun, 74, was often seen in the State Fair Speedway pits on Friday nights helping son James Shoun prepare the No. 62 sprint car for the next race.
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