Jim Maddox

Memorial service for Jim Maddox, 85, Lawton, will be at 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 910 NW 38th Street with Dr. Sonia Tobey, minister officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Jim died peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, at his home with family by his side. Jim was born on Oct. 23, 1938, in Chickasha to Leon and Evelyn Maddox. He was raised in Lawton, and graduated from Lawton High School in 1956. On June 24, 1961, Jim married Leslie Hamm. They established their home in Lawton and raised three children: Cathy, Debbie and Mike.

Jim devoted his life to his family and to public service. He started his professional career as a teacher and then became the owner of Maddox Pest Control. Jim believed in the importance of education and was a lifelong supporter of vo-technical education and served on the Great Plains Vo-Tech governing board for several years. Jim was always active in the Lawton Community with the American Cancer Society, First United Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club, Lawton Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Arts for All and the Lawton Philharmonic. During the 1970s, Jim started writing letters each week acknowledging the special accomplishments and successes of Lawtonians. Over the last 45 years, Jim wrote virtually thousands of letters to people he knew, and those he had never met, to celebrate the unique efforts and contributions of others.

In 1989, Jim was elected to the State House of Representatives and in 1994, Jim was elected to represent District 32 as a State Senator. While working as a legislator, Jim sponsored legislation promoting small business, helped reform the Worker’s Compensation system and he also sponsored legislation that expanded mental health services across the State of Oklahoma. During Jim’s tenure, the Southwest Oklahoma Representatives and Senators built an unparalleled leadership team that prioritized the economic development of the smaller Oklahoma communities that were often overlooked when legislative leadership was dominated by Oklahoma City and Tulsa legislators. In 2003, Jim was the sole dissenting senate vote against tort reform which earned him the undying respect of his daughter Debbie and local attorney John Zelbst.

Jim’s family was overwhelmingly proud of him and learned from his example of unwavering integrity, hard work and taking care of family. Jim was never a man to express anger and he never missed an opportunity to offer kindness or a supportive ear to any of his children. He always knew what the important things were, whether it was golfing with his son Mike, introducing his grandson Jake to the unmatched enjoyment of eating bacon as often as possible and ice cream every night. He was in awe of his grandson Jordan’s musical and song writing skills, loved the academic successes of his granddaughter McKinsey, the athletic skills of his granddaughters Kate and Isabel, and the unending list of charms offered by his great-grandson Rhett. Maybe the best explanation of Jim’s life is to simply say that he was loved so very much by his family and that he will be greatly missed by many.

Jim is survived by his brother David Maddox, his children: Cathy Lindley, Debbie Maddox and Mike Maddox; and his grandchildren: Jake Ratliff and his wife Kelsy, Jordan Lindley and his partner Paige, McKinsey Norton, Kate and Isabel Maddox and his great-grandson Rhett Ratliff. The family would also like to thank Heather Maynard and all of Jim’s other caregivers that kept the entire family comfortable.

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com