Obituary for Thomas Clifford Lorah
Thomas Clifford Lorah, 92, was greeted at the gates of heaven by his wife on December 29, 2020. He passed away at the Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus, Oklahoma.
Clifford was born on September 25, 1928, in Chattanooga, Oklahoma, to his parents Waller Clayton Lorah and Eva Catherine Coursey Lorah. He was the oldest of nine children. He and his siblings grew up around the Chattanooga area. Clifford graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1946. Education was a very important topic to the Lorah family, so Clifford continued his education at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, where he received an Associate’s Degree. He wanted to make an impact in the education field, so he continued his education after Cameron University at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma. While in school at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma, he began his career at Loveland, Oklahoma Public Schools in August of 1948. He started as the elementary principal, math teacher, and junior and senior high coach for the basketball teams, softball team, and baseball team. He was brilliant when it came to algebra, statistics, and calculus. During his years at Loveland, Oklahoma, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Central State University, but his education did not stop there. He went on to receive his Master of Education from Midwestern State University.
Clifford married his loving wife Ann Roberts Lorah on May 18, 1950, in Henrietta, Texas. They spent almost 56 years of marriage together before her passing on March 2, 2006. During their marriage, they moved to the Geronimo community, where he was the principal for two years then Superintendent for thirty years. He was passionate about his family and the Geronimo school system. He fought to keep Geronimo Public Schools open in the 1960s, and he succeeded. He was such a passionate educator that he took on the role of being a father figure to every child that walked the halls of Geronimo Schools. He ensured that every child knew that the school was a safe place where they were always welcomed. He retired in June of 1985 and left an everlasting legacy on the Geronimo School system.
He was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church. He enjoyed worshiping the Lord with his family and his church family. He loved spending time with his family when he was not working on the farm, and he especially loved a challenging game of dominoes against anyone who would dare try to beat him. He enjoyed hunting and fishing when he was not playing in the softball league. He was one of the charter members of the Geronimo Lions Club.
He is survived by his son Jeffrey and wife Tracy Lorah; daughter Karen and husband Eric Smith; brother Robert Lorah; sisters Catherine Plante, Imogene Booher, and Francis Goodknight; grandchildren Penny Reece and husband Jonathan, Justin Lorah, Joshua Lorah, Jessica Terry and husband Stetson, Jordan Caldwell and husband William; sixteen great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and students whom he considered family.
Clifford was preceded in death by his wife Ann Roberts Lorah of 56 years; parents Waller Clayton Lorah and Eva Catherine Coursey Lorah; son Thomas Clifford Lorah, Jr. brothers Cecil Lorah and Eugene Lorah; sisters Geraldine Bourlier and Evelyn Mize; great-grandchild Lillian Marie Lorah.
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Clifford was born on September 25, 1928, in Chattanooga, Oklahoma, to his parents Waller Clayton Lorah and Eva Catherine Coursey Lorah. He was the oldest of nine children. He and his siblings grew up around the Chattanooga area. Clifford graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1946. Education was a very important topic to the Lorah family, so Clifford continued his education at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, where he received an Associate’s Degree. He wanted to make an impact in the education field, so he continued his education after Cameron University at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma. While in school at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma, he began his career at Loveland, Oklahoma Public Schools in August of 1948. He started as the elementary principal, math teacher, and junior and senior high coach for the basketball teams, softball team, and baseball team. He was brilliant when it came to algebra, statistics, and calculus. During his years at Loveland, Oklahoma, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Central State University, but his education did not stop there. He went on to receive his Master of Education from Midwestern State University.
Clifford married his loving wife Ann Roberts Lorah on May 18, 1950, in Henrietta, Texas. They spent almost 56 years of marriage together before her passing on March 2, 2006. During their marriage, they moved to the Geronimo community, where he was the principal for two years then Superintendent for thirty years. He was passionate about his family and the Geronimo school system. He fought to keep Geronimo Public Schools open in the 1960s, and he succeeded. He was such a passionate educator that he took on the role of being a father figure to every child that walked the halls of Geronimo Schools. He ensured that every child knew that the school was a safe place where they were always welcomed. He retired in June of 1985 and left an everlasting legacy on the Geronimo School system.
He was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church. He enjoyed worshiping the Lord with his family and his church family. He loved spending time with his family when he was not working on the farm, and he especially loved a challenging game of dominoes against anyone who would dare try to beat him. He enjoyed hunting and fishing when he was not playing in the softball league. He was one of the charter members of the Geronimo Lions Club.
He is survived by his son Jeffrey and wife Tracy Lorah; daughter Karen and husband Eric Smith; brother Robert Lorah; sisters Catherine Plante, Imogene Booher, and Francis Goodknight; grandchildren Penny Reece and husband Jonathan, Justin Lorah, Joshua Lorah, Jessica Terry and husband Stetson, Jordan Caldwell and husband William; sixteen great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and students whom he considered family.
Clifford was preceded in death by his wife Ann Roberts Lorah of 56 years; parents Waller Clayton Lorah and Eva Catherine Coursey Lorah; son Thomas Clifford Lorah, Jr. brothers Cecil Lorah and Eugene Lorah; sisters Geraldine Bourlier and Evelyn Mize; great-grandchild Lillian Marie Lorah.
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Graveside
Saturday
2
Jan
2:00 PM
Sunset Memorial Gardens
700 NW Cache Rd
Lawton, OK 73505
Cemetery Details
Location
Sunset Memorial Gardens
700 NW Cache Rd
Lawton, OK 73505
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