"Great Redeemer, we adore Thee,

God of mercy, love and grace;

Warm our hearts with Thine own being,

May we see Thy kindly face!"

With these beautiful words written by John Roy Harris, a man that Charles and Dody greatly loved and respected, Charles Gail Horton, 82, was ushered into the presence of His Lord and Redeemer on Friday, May 19, 2017.

Funeral service for Charles Gail Horton will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in First Baptist Church Lawton, with Dr. Patrick Latham, pastor officiating.

Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 6-8 pm Monday at the funeral home.

Charles Gail was born on April 6th, 1935 in Walters, Oklahoma to Charley Walter and Thelma Katheryn Horton and has been a lifetime resident of Lawton.  He graduated from Lawton High School in 1953 and attended Oklahoma University and while there he was a member of the Pershing Rifle Team and the Marketing Club.  He married his high school sweetheart, Delores "Dody" Witzel on June 16, 1957 at First Baptist Church, Lawton.

Charles and Dody set up home in Lawton and entered into the business world.  They partnered with Charles' dad in C&H Supply and Horton Furniture then moved into sales with National Motor Club.  In 1976 they opened, owned and operated Dody's Cards & Gifts in Cache Road Square and subsequently branched to Central Mall with Dody's Hallmark then another branch store in Altus.

Charles Gail was a member of First Baptist Church for over 70 years, most of which he served as a deacon and twice as chairman of that body.  He was a Bible Study leader in the youth area then median adults for many years and served on numerous church committees.  He loved music and to sing.  He played trombone in the Lawton High School band, sang tenor in the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBQSA), sang in the church choir for 60 years and an avid supporter of the Lawton Philharmonic.  He and Dody were long time members of the Knife and Fork Club of Lawton.  He was a member of the Noon Optimist Club, the Lawton Kiwanis Club, and served on the board for the Salvation Army, Lawton Boys and Girls Club,  Robert E. Greiners School, and served as Treasurer for the Greiners School for many years.

Charles was predeceased by his parents and his wife of 60 years.

He is survived by his daughters, Rochelle Elaine McCaslin and husband Chad, of Garland, Texas, Wendi Gail Ratliff and husband David of Lawton.  Five grandchildren, Jon McCaslin of Houston, Texas, Ben McCaslin of Atlanta, Georgia, Styles Ratliff of Edmond, Oklahoma, Shandee Ratliff of Norman, Oklahoma and Sierra Ratliff of Lawton.  Sister Patsy Carol Rogers and husband Will of Abiline, Texas and legions of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.  Special thanks to the countless friends, family and caregivers who shared the last years of this journey with us.  Boundless thanks to our sweet Irene Majer who has loved and cared for both Charles and Dody.

From your family, Farewell to our loving and caring dad, our faithful brother, and our wise and sharing grandfather.  We have loved you so much and will miss you so greatly because you have loved and cherished us deeply.  Now as the lyrics of the hymn above asks for, you can actually see His kindly face and will, for eternity.  Charles Gail, this good bye is only for a little while.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 501 S.W. B Ave., ,Lawton, OK  73501 and designated to the Falls Creek Baptist encampment.