A celebration of life for Elmer “Mickey” A. Nokes, will be 10:00 am, Saturday, April 16, 2022 at Grace Mennonite Church, Enid, with Reverend Mike Sommerfield officiating. Burial will be 2:00 pm in Short Springs Cemetery, located between Alva and Cherokee, Ok and officiated by Mr. Joe Wood. Funeral services are under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home.
Elmer Nokes was born on the family homestead, in Teagarden, OK, 20 miles west of Alva, OK, June 10, 1930 and passed away April 10, 2022. Many of his friends and family called him by his nickname, “Mickey”. He was the youngest child of eight children, six girls and two boys. Elmer attended Pleasant Ridge School, later attending N.W.O.S.U. in Alva. He farmed and ranch for over 50 years, where he raised wheat, hay, cattle, and custom harvesting.
In 1953, Elmer married Glennis Beltz, and they made their home on a farm northwest of Cherokee. He worked on the farm for about three years, and later leased the farm until June of 2000. Elmer and Glennis shared three children, and three grandchildren before her passing in 1994.
In 1995, he met Gladys Geis at a reunion near Cherokee, OK. Only God could have put this union together, and soon after they married in Branson, MO. Together they blended a family of five children, and their spouses, and nine grandchildren. Elmer and Gladys shared together in worship at First Baptist Church in Cherokee. Gladys joined up with her cousin, Margret, and together they started “Uncommon Comedy”, which kept them on the road with their husbands in tow, as they entertained audiences all over. In March of 2006, they settled into their home at Golden Oaks Village and joined Grace Mennonite Church.
Elmer is survived by, his wife, Gladys Nokes, of the home in Enid; five children, Jill Kyle and husband Jeff, of Mahomet, IL; Lance Schickedanz and wife Jennifer, of Mahomet, IL; Sherri Hill and husband Michael, of Escondido, CA; Terri Woodbury, of Fairview, Ok; nine grandchildren, Daniel and Joshua Hill, both of Escondido, CA; Grace Eldridge and husband Jacob, of Carlsbad, CA; Hannah Austin and husband L.J. of Aurora, IL; twins Abigail and Rachel Kyle, of Mahomet, IL; Sara Kyle of Mahomet, IL; and Hayley and Maia Schickedanz, of Mahomet, IL.
He is proceeded in death by, his parents, Orie and Esther Nokes; son, Mark Nokes and his wife Mary; six sisters, Evelyn Ring, Dona Weeks, Olive Rader, Darline Laws, Frances and Theresa Nokes; brother, John Nokes and his wife Edith; and son-in-law Roy Woodbury.
Memorial contributions in Elmer’s name may be made to Grace Mennonite Church, OMRF Diabetes Division, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds.
Condolences may be made, and memories shared at www.ladusauevans.com.