Dr. Milton "Big Un" Sovo, Jr.

Prayer Service for Dr. Milton Sovo, Jr. will be at 7PM, Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Comanche Nation Funeral Home. 
Funeral service will be at 10AM on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Watchetaker Hall at Comanche Complex. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Apache under the direction of Comanche Nation Funeral Home
Milton "Big Un" Sovo, Jr. 76, of Apache, OK went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026. He passed from this life in his Apache home surrounded by his beloved family and friends. 
To know Milton was an honor, to love him was a privilege and blessing.
Milton was born on December 23, 1949, in Lawton OK to Milton "Brownie" Sovo and Marjorie Diana Tahquechi Sovo. His home for 45 yrs was Sterling, OK. Milton was the first of 7 children and as the eldest always looked after his younger siblings. Whether always giving of his time, money, attention, or energy, Milton made sure to look after them responsibly as the oldest son and lead with a gentle hand and huge heart. 
He was a beautiful blend of the Native traditions he was reared with and the Christian values he chose and exhibited daily. Always up for a good joke, he was famous for telling his Old Indian Tales, or OITs as they are referred to. Milton graduated from Sterling High School and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree from Cameron University, while working full-time. He continued studying through his lifetime with various universities, resulting in his completion of his PhD in Agricultural Sciences and proudly used his new title of Dr. Milton Sovo, PhD. When he was with his family and decided to share some of his wisdom through OITs, he was quickly brought down to earth by his wife by saying, "Dr. Sovo" in the tone of voice that made him laugh greatly. 
Milton served on many Tribal, state and national boards of organizations. These included Comanche Nation Business Committee, Oklahoma Advisory Board Department of Transportation, Town Board of Apache, Oklahoma, sitting as mayor, and the president of his own corporation. 
Milton was always willing to learn when young. As long as he had his beloved grandparents and parents he was learning of the Comanche culture and history. He promised his elders that if he could complete his education, he would use his life to help his people learn to conserve and protect the natural resources so important to them for future generations. He fulfilled that promise. 
A Christian man with high moral and ethical values, Milton searched the Bible for the path to gain his promise of eternal life and obeyed those commands in his early 20s. He lived a faithful life as a member of Christ's Church at Sterling and Elgin Church of Christ congregations. He led singing at Elgin, and anytime he was asked to do so.
Milton and Alice S. (Sue) Derby Sovo were united in marriage on June 27, 1995, in Lawton, Oklahoma. In doing so, he became "Dad" to Seanna. From that day forward, she was HIS daughter. Their bond could not have been stronger. Their love for each other was amazing. Because he waited until he was 45 years old to marry, being together and doing all together as "one" with Sue was a source of happiness. He had hoped for a home of his own, and his own family for many years. He was always busy with his nephews and nieces and had decided he would be content in doing for them as long as he was needed, if that is what God wanted for him. As he loved saying to people, in telling the story of how he and Sue met, he often said, "Here she comes a walkin, talkin true love, sayin I've been lookin' for you love...out of the blue clear sky!" Obviously, he was a lifelong lover of George Strait music and sang his songs often! 
For several years he played with his siblings in their family band. Milton's love of all kids was visible in all he did. As he helped with his nieces and nephews, any kids that were with them, were with him. Always included, never left out, fed, transported, counseled, taught. He never ran out of patience and love, and they all trusted and loved him in return. Scouting, coaching ball, stock shows, parades, hauling horses, hauling band instruments for the Elgin HS band, chaperoning on school trips - just a few of his constant helpful deeds for the kids. Spending hours playing games such as Cowboys and Indians, at the insistence of the kids, he happily accepted a role reversal. He was always the Cowboy and they were the Indians. His thought was "I would have made a very good real life Indian!" 
Milton was preceded in death by his parents, paternal grandparents Ernest Sovo and Sally Florence Nausuquas, his maternal grandparents, Norton Teddy "Sapo-Re-Ne" Tahquechi and Margaret Garrow Tahquechi, brother June Sovo, sister Denese Sovo, and nephew Roddrick Allen Sovo, his mother and father-in-law George K. and Ellen "Bea" Derby, and his sister-in-law Jewel Kathleen McCarty.
He is survived by his wife Sue of the home, daughter and son-in-law Seanna & Wesley Whisenhunt and grandson Collin of Rolla, MO, Kristopher Sovo of Lawton, OK and Renee Hill of Anadarko, OK both of whom he considered his children. Brothers Gene Sovo, Lennel T. "Ted" Sovo both of Sterling, Oklahoma, sisters, Donita Sovo, Sterling and Diana Gail Sovo, Sterling. Brothers-in-law and Sisters-in-law: Ken Derby and David Derby, Apache, OK, Kurt and Tessa Widmer, Maysville, OK, Sharon Cleveland, Lawton, OK and numerous nephews, nieces, great nephews, and great nieces, and a host of dear friends and family.