Stanley Thomas Tyler, 95

Originally published in the Guymon Daily Herald
Monday, 04 February 2008

On February 2, 2008, Stanley Thomas Tyler joined his bride, Margaret, to establish their heavenly home. Margaret preceded him in death on June 28, 2007. Stanley died in Amarillo, Texas, where he and Margaret had lived for the past seven years. Previously, they had made their home in Guymon for over 50 years.

Stanley is survived by one daughter, Lynda Ann and Dr. J. Gayle Gibson of Guymon; one grandson, Austin Tyler Stewart and wife Priscilla and great granddaughter, Zoe Dewbury Stewart of Salt Lake City, UT; brothers, Owen Tyler and wife Pat of Granbury, TX; and Byron Tyler and wife, Doris of Lindau, TX. Also surviving are step grandchildren, Cynthia and David Hallford of Glenwood Springs, CO; Steven Gibson of Guymon; Lynda Gullett of Midlothian, TX; Timothy and Julie Gibson of Waxahachie, TX; and Robert and Deanna Gibson of Edmond, OK; and 14 step-great grandchildren.

Preceding Stanley in death were his wife, Margaret, his parents, a brother and sister-in-law, Oliver and Pat Tyler, son-in-law, Don Stewart; stepmother, Thyra Tyler Fajen; and a very special aunt, Lillie Turcotte.

The son of Rose Cook Tyler and Oliver Stanley Tyler, he was born October 29, 1912 on the Tyler ranch, 15 miles south of Gruver, Texas. The Tyler Ranch was established by their grandfather, Stanley Cushing Tyler. The Tyler family then moved to another ranch home in Colorado, but after the death of Stanley’s mother in 1918, he moved to Oklahoma City where he attended public schools and graduated from Classen High School. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1935 with a BS in Business Administration. At OU, he was Vice-Commander of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Vice-President of the senior class, was awarded the Letzeiser medal for outstanding student and was a three-year letterman on the OU varsity basketball team. The OU program said Stanley was “a good passer, a good marksman, a tight little defensive player and as fine a sportsman as ever wore the Red and White livery of the Sooners”. Any one who knew Stanley knew that the sportsman title was on target…he was a True Gentleman.

Upon graduation from OU, Stanley was employed by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Colo., of Akron, Ohio, as a management trainee. He was ordered to active duty in World War II and served at various Army bases throughout the United States. He was united in marriage to Margaret Catherine Brydia on January 26, 1942 in Dallas, Texas.

Stanley and Margaret returned to Oklahoma in 1945 after Stanley retired from the Army as Lieutenant Colonel. He was employed by the Guymon Chamber of Commerce as full time Secretary-Manager, became part owner of the International Harvester dealership, and then bought the feed store, which he revamped and named the Tyler Feed Store. He helped introduce hybrid grain sorghum and hybrid seed corn to this area with DeKalb and Pioneer Seed Companies. Stanley served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, served on the Texas County Development Committee, was a builder of the Panhandle Livestock Commission, where he later served as president. He was also a member of the Guymon Masonic Lodge, Guthrie Consistory, India Temple, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and the Texas County Irrigation Association. He was chairman of the Guymon Park Board for many years and was a member of the Texas County and Panhandle District Free Fair Board.

Stanley and Margaret were active and faithful members of the First Presbyterian Church, Guymon before moving their membership to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Amarillo, Texas. In 2000, Stanley was honored as the Pioneer Day Marshal. He was so very proud of his pioneer heritage, having been born to one of the most outstanding pioneer families that so shaped and changed this part of the country. Stanley Tyler will be remembered as a kind, gracious, precious gentleman who never knew a stranger.

Memorial services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, Guymon with a grandson, Pastor Timothy Gibson, officiating. Family graveside services will be in Elmhurst Cemetery under the care of Henson-Novak Funeral Directors of Guymon.