Funeral service for SSG (ret)Shirley Darnell Baxter Jr., 60, of Lawton will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 14, 2010 at Frontier Chapel, Fort Sill, Oklahoma with Rev. Michael Williamson, of New Covenant Community Church, officiating.
Burial will be at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma with full military honors, under the direction of Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home.
Shirley Darnell Baxter, Jr. was born on December 21, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York to Shirley D. and Laura (Debro) Baxter, Sr. Darnell graduated from Nuernberg American High School in Nuernberg, Germany. He joined the United States Army in 1971 and served his country in the states and overseas receiving numerous medals and awards including the Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army service Ribbon, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Expert Badge (rifle M16) Award. He retired from the military on June 30, 1990. He married Birdie Mae Collins on November 28, 1991 in Petersburg, Virginia. Together they raised two sons: Leodis Jackson and Bryan Jackson.
He is survived by his wife, Birdie, of the home; two sons, Bryan Marcus Jackson, Lawton, and Leodis Jackson III, of Edmond; his brother, Wesley Marcel Jacks (poo-poo), of Baltimore, Maryland; his aunts, Louise Baxter Styles, of Roanoke, Virginia, Evangeline Debro Powell, of Garysburg, North Carolina; cousin, Janice Baxter, Roanoke, Virginia; two sisters in law, Michelle Collins, Los Angeles, CA and Frances Fergerson of Bremerton , WA ; two brothers in law, Charles Collins, Los Angeles, CA, John Fergerson of Bremerton, WA and a host of friends, relatives, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Shirley Baxter, Sr. and Laura Baxter; his brother, Herbert Baxter; and his special uncles, David Powell and Frank Styles.
A special visitation will be held Thursday, May 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home. All family and friends are welcome.