Jessee Woodroe "J.W." Denton Sr., 88, of Hollis died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007, at Harmon Memorial Hospital in Hollis. Funeral services were to be held at 2 p.m. today at Stewart Funeral Chapel in Hollis with the Rev. Jim Fishback and Ed Stegall, minister of the Vinson Church of Christ, officiating. Burial was to be in the Dryden Cemetery, northeast of Hollis.

Woodroe was born April 10, 1919, in the Wildcat Community in Harmon County, the son of Cora Jane Thompson and Jess Van Denton. He attended Gould High School through the eighth grade. He was a retired farmer and spent his entire life in Harmon County except while serving his country in the U.S. Army. Woodroe was a member of the VFW, DAV, and on Sept. 12, 2004, was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals, that had been stolen while he was in the service, during ceremonies at Altus Air Force Base for his service in New Guinea during WWII. He married Wanda Ruth Kerbo on Aug. 20, 1950, at Brownlow. He enjoyed watching Dallas Cowboys football, baseball games and OU women's basketball on TV. He especially liked watching rodeos and bull riding in person and on TV, as well as "The Price is Right." He also enjoyed working word search puzzles. His highlight was spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include one son, Woodrow Denton and his wife Joyce of Hollis; two daughters, Cora Miranda and her husband Keith of Gould, and Jean Denton of Hollis; five grandsons, Jeremy Denton and his wife Susan of Mangum, Erick Miranda of Gould, Jerry Lynn Downen of Altus, Jason Miranda of Gould and Troy Gibbons of Hollis; two granddaughters, Tiffany Denton of Hollis, and Jennifer Tucker and her husband Zack of Altus; two great-grandsons, J. J. Denton of Mangum and Hunter Miranda of Gould; one great-granddaughter, Ashley Denton of Mangum; one sister, Audie Bill Buchanan of Hollis; and one brother, John Denton and his wife Pam of Altus.

He was preceded in death by his wife Wanda Denton on April 4, 1992; his parents, Jess and Cora Denton; two step-mothers, Myrtle Denton and Ora Denton; sisters, Nell Walker and Ruby Forbes; one daughter, Myrtle Downen and a grandson, Samuel Bradley Denton.