BOB JOE WHITWORTH
RITES SLATED FOR FORMER CREEK COUNTY SHERIFF
From "The Tulsa World," Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Section A, Page 11
SAPULPA -- Bob Joe Whitworth, a former Creek County sheriff, died Sunday. He was 59.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mobley-Dodson Funeral Service in Sand Springs.
Whitworth was born July 11, 1945, in Tonkawa. He graduated from high school in Lamont before attending Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma State University and Northwestern University.
He was in the Marines during the Vietnam War.
After the war, he worked as a Creek County game ranger as the district chief for the Oklahoma Wildlife Department.
As a 33-year-old Bristow police dispatcher, Whitworth won the sheriff's race in 1980 in a Democratic primary runoff.
He was re-elected in 1984 after a recount against former sheriff Brice Coleman.
Whitworth survived an ouster attempt when a Creek County jury in October 1985 acquitted him of six counts lodged by a county grand jury that accused him of irregularities in office.
The grand jury had filed 12 counts against Whitworth in June, but the counts were trimmed to six before and during the trial.
Whitworth's lawyer, the late Jack Sellers, argued to the jury that Whitworth was the victim of a political conspiracy by then-District Attorney David Young and former deputies.
In August 1988, Whitworth was defeated in a re-election bid in the Democratic primary, coming in third behind winner Doug Nichols and Jay Anglin.
Whitworth later owned a private investigation company.
After leaving law enforcement, he owned and operated a boat marina in Grove until failing health forced him to retire in 2001.
Whitworth is survived by his wife, Cameila Whitworth; a son, Lyle Whitworth of Malvern, Ark., his mother, Edna Whitworth of McKinney, Texas; two brothers, James Whitworth Jr. of Mustang and Lyndal Whitworth of Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters Edna Millard of Lawton and Julia Lewis of McKinney.
After serving and protecting the county for eight years beginning in 1980, former Creek County Sheriff Bob Whitworth died over the weekend due to complications from a heart attack he had three years ago.
"He was a wonderful person. Very kind hearted. He got along with everyone," said Camelia Whitworth, Bob Whitworth's wife. "He was a very nice, loving teddy bear."
Camelia and Bob met when he was serving as sheriff and she was undersheriff, but nothing romantic happened while they worked together.
"It was long after," said Camelia. "We met up in 1995 and then got married in 1997."
Lyle Whitworth said his father grew up in Lamont and went to college at Oklahoma State University.
"He served his country in Vietnam for four years from 1966 to 1970 in the Marine Corps," Lyle said.
After serving in the military, he served as a game warden and game ranger for the area, Lyle said.
Bob was elected as Creek County Sheriff in 1980 and again in 1984.
Lyle was two years old when his father was elected.
"He used to tell me when he had to leave and take his gun that it was in case he saw an alligator," Lyle laughingly said. "He was a very good sheriff. He was very committed to the people of Creek County."
Camelia said Bob just continued in the family business.
"His grandfather was a marshal and his father was an undersheriff," she said, but Bob didn't want his son to follow in his footsteps.
"I considered (going into law enforcement), but he was one of those fathers who didn't want his son to see the things he saw," Lyle said.
"The times are different than they were back then," Camelia said.
In 1988, Whitworth lost reelection.
"It was real saddening for him when he lost the election," Camelia said. "About a week later though it was as if the burden had been lifted off his shoulders."
Lyle said after serving as sheriff, his father worked as a private investigator in the Tulsa and then ran a marina on Grand Lake.
"That kept him busy for a long time," Camelia said, until he had a massive heart attack in 2001 that left him with only 10 percent of his heart working.
"It really set him down," Lyle said.
"We had made preparations and he knew it was coming, " Camelia said.
Lyle said his father, who was 59, died too young.
"I always wanted to be like him," Lyle said.
"You couldn't ask for a better man," Camelia said.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mobley-Dodson Funeral Home at 211 E. Broadway, in Sand Springs. Creek County Sheriff Steve Toliver will speak at the service.
Sara Plummer 224-5185 Ext. 204
[email protected]
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