Claude H. "C.H." Whiteman

Funeral services for Claude Henry “C.H.” Whiteman, 88, of Skiatook, OK, were held on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Sperry, OK. High Priest Steve VanMeter officiated, and burial was in Osage Gardens Cemetery in Skiatook, OK.

C.H., as he became known, was born May 26, 1937, in Sand Springs, OK, to Harmon Edgar Whiteman and Sarah Elizabeth (York) Whiteman. He passed away December 9, 2025, in Skiatook, OK.

C.H. was raised on a farm/dairy south of the Rock School, and attended school at Rock until the middle of sixth grade. Rock was a community of people who first shaped C.H. into what he would be come. C.H. and his family, Harmon, Sarah and Junior, as Hub was known at the time, lived in one, the York grandparents lived in another house and the Whiteman grandparents lived in yet another house – three houses, but one family all working at farming, and milking together. Later, a fourth house was added when brother Hub married and started his family. This is the community, the Whitemans, the Lawsons, and the Pearsons came together to worship at the Delaware Baptist Church where C.H. was first taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. He remained true to that gospel in service to his fellow man. C.H. was six when he was given his first horse, Smokey. Smokey had to be broken, and inflicted bodily pain when he bit, but they became roping partners from that time on.When the Whiteman family bought the Rogers place north of Skiatook and moved there in 1948, Smokey and C.H. were part of the crew who herded the dairy cows from the land south of Rock School north up to the country road to the new place two miles north of Skiatook on North Lombard Lane. C.H. continued his education in Skiatook Schools; he was active in sports – baseball and basketball – where he made all conference in both sports during high school. He attended Boy’s State during his junior year and received the DAR award. He served on the Student Council and acted in class plays. He was listed in the Who’s Who for high school students. He graduated with the class of 1955 and has remained close with many of his former classmates. During all these years, C.H. continued to hone his roping skills and traveled over the country as an amateur roper. After high school, C.H. attended Oklahoma Baptist University’s summer camp for basketball but decided not to return for the fall term because he had missed out on the summer rodeo season. He went to work for Dowell Chemical in Tulsa where he worked for 10 years. During that time, C.H. married Kay Williamson in 1957. They made their home on the family land north of town. To that union, one daughter was born, Kathy Lynn. After his marriage to Kay dissolved, C.H. married Patricia “Pat” Byfield in 1974. They celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary on August 31, 2025. C.H. became a union carpenter and was part of the crew that built the Golden Driller, located at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. In 1967, when he landed the job, he really wanted before he reached the cutoff age… he was hired by the Tulsa Fire Department. He truly enjoyed that job even though he continued to carpenter on his days off from the fire station. He retired from Tulsa Fire Department in 1987, at the rank of Captain. C.H. continued to carpenter and travel to old timers’ rodeos for several more years. C.H. started roping calves when he was just six years old and never lost the desire to rope. His rodeo family grew as he became a member of the Skiatook Round Up Club, National Senior Pro Rodeo Association, Oklahoma Senior Pro Rodeo Association, and several other rodeo associations around this area. After his retirement from TFD, C.H. spent most weekends and summers traveling to rodeos from Texas to Montana, and all points along the way. C.H. learned to hunt game from his dad. C.H. was an avid quail hunter. His high school buddies Ellison Perkins and Sherman Holt were part of that hunting group, as well as his brother-in-law, Gene Denny who had the hunter’s heaven near his Tyro, KS farm. But the ultimate hunt was the first weekend of the season when C.H. and his friends, J.J. Archer and Jim Hale, took off for Kansas every year for 35 years. In the last few years, nephew, Clay Beene and especially friends, Buel Jobe and Bud Penick have seen that C.H. enjoyed at least a few hunts even if he had to ride in the four-wheeler instead of walking the fields. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important endeavor C.H. cultivated he was raised in the Delaware Baptist Church. At the time of his passing, and several years before, C.H. was a member of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Sperry, where he holds the priesthood office of Elder. C.H. was baptized in 1962 and has been active in several areas of church service, including home ministry, church finance as Bishop’s agent, youth leader, building committee, class teacher, and counselor to the pastor. He was willing to serve in any area which needed tending to. He has helped build physically, a few church buildings and two campgrounds, but he is best known for his work in home ministry and his continued visitation program among members. The song we sang was his favorite because early in his ministry he was sent to Oilton to preach his very first sermon to a group meeting in a garage with a very low ceiling. One family there had tremendous musical talent, and they raised the roof of that little building that night, singing, “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Every member here in this congregation knows C.H.’s favorite song, and it is sung often.

He is survived by his wife, Pat Whiteman of the home; daughter, Kathy Horn and husband, Toby; grandson, Mitchell Webb; great-grandson, Hank Webb, whom all live on the north side of Whiteman Hill in Skiatook; grandson, Matthew Evans of Bixby; niece, Beth (Whiteman) Beene, and five generations of Whiteman nieces and nephews, who live on the south side of Whiteman Hill; and other nieces, nephews, cousins and a multitude of friends scattered across the country.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harmon and Sarah Whiteman; and brother, Hub Whiteman and wife, Midge.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 9505 N. Cincinnati Ave, Sperry, OK 74073, or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonsperry.com