Published: May 18, 2008 10:55 pm         

McMurtrey-50th anniversary for 5/19/08

Mr. and Mrs. Ronal McMurtrey will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a come-and-go reception for family and friends from 1 to 4 p.m. May 31 at First Baptist Church fellowship hall, 614 S. Grand Ave., Cherokee. They request no gifts. Cards may be sent to Rt. 1 Box 119, Cherokee, OK 73728.

Ronal McMurtrey and Marguerite Gower were married June 1, 1958, at Helena Methodist Church. The Rev. Franklin George officiated. Attending the couple were Glenda Brown, Diana Jo Whitfield, Betty Collins, Neal Scribner, Zan Nelson, Frank Moore and Paul Stanford.

They have lived near Cherokee all their married life. Both are graduates of Oklahoma State University. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in agricultural economics and she graduated in 1959 with a degree in business education.

They recently retired from operating McMurtrey Farms, a third generation centennial farm. They are active in Cherokee First Baptist Church where he serves as deacon and Sunday school superintendent and she is the assistant church clerk and director of the funeral ministry. They also are president and secretary/treasurer of the Alfalfa County Chapter of American Farmers and Ranchers (formerly Oklahoma Farmers Union, of which he is a past member of the State Board of Directors).

She taught business at Cherokee High School from 1959 to 1961 and currently works at the Alfalfa County Extension office and as precinct inspector and on the in-person absentee voting board for the Alfalfa County Election Board. She also substitute teaches and helps with the Extension Oklahoma Home and Community Education group.

Their children are Rhonda McMurtrey, Oklahoma City, and Brenda and Kent McMahan and Douglas and Dawn McMurtrey, all of Cherokee. They have two grandchildren.