Rest in Peace, Daddy

Thomas Lloyd Blaxton's final resting place is in the Yukon Cemetery, Yukon, OK, off Garth Brooks Boulevard.

Dad served his country with love, loyalty, honesty and integrity, both in the military and with his political involvement. He never approached a political issue without having the facts, at least as many as were available in his day. Dad would have loved the Internet. The Internet would have opened many more doors to him.

Dad loved his beloved Lord and Savior. He believed in the saving grace of Jesus. He knew the power of God could turn a person's sinful life around. He knew that power in his own life. Dad believed that God could and would forgive the most sinful life a person had. Jesus paid it all with His blood on the cross of Calvary.

As Daddy died, I could hear his voice singing once again, "Glorious Freedom".

Before I was born, Mom contracted a poisoning from paint fumes. The doctor (Pilkington) believed the child she carried would be born deformed and retarded. On a visit to my mother in the hospital, Dad found the name of a medicine the doctor had ordered for Mom. Dad took the name to the doctor on base at Craig Field, Ala. The doctor ordered an ambulance to pick up Mom at the hospital and bring her to the base.

A few months later, I was born. No deformities and no mental deficiencies. Dad gave me life in so many ways.

When the call came that Dad was in the hospital one more time with his heart, I knew this time was critical. I told the nurse to tell him I was coming home. I flew to Oklahoma and went to his room.

We had good times in that room. We talked about the kids and he laughed at things he had once been upset over.

When the second day arrived, Dad was sitting up in his hospital bed, watching Jim and Tammy Fay Baker. He quoted Psalm 23 with them. We shared more memories of my childhood and of the other children.

Mom and I went to lunch and Dad was peaceful. When we came back to the room, the doctor met us at the elevator. Dad's heart had blown and he was not expected to live much longer.

As we waited for family to gather, Dad hung onto life. I spoke with Eldon on the phone and he wanted me to assure Dad of his love.

From the moment Dad's heart blew, until the monitors slowly quit, it was 4 hours. I held his hand and talked to him about all the dreams he had for his children, how we had not fullfilled his dreams of having a missionary in the family. Marvin had decided to become a minister and I talked to Dad about all the sermons he never preached and how those would now fall to Marvin.

At 5:10 PM, the heart monitor quit. Suddenly the room was aglow with a heavenly light. Dad walked towards the light. For years Dad had walked with a limp. But now, I saw him kick his left leg and walk into Heaven without a limp. I heard him singing "Glorius Freedom" one last time.

Not understanding what I had witnessed, I turned to the little Catholic sister who was standing beside me and asked, "Did you see what I saw?" She squeezed my hand and said, "That was the most beautiful crossing I have ever seen."

As he gave me life in 1947, I wanted to help him make his transition into his new life. Thomas Lloyd Blaxton had indeed found Glorious Freedom from all his pain and suffering.

Love ya, Dad.