Wilson Clark (Dub) Orr

Wilson Clark (Dub) Orr passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 89 on June 9, 2017, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He had been living in a memory care facility near his son and daughter-in-law Lee and Lisette Orr for the past year.

Dub was born December 14, 1927, in Vernon, Texas, to William Clyde Orr and Clarice Roberts Orr. He always spoke fondly of his childhood during the Dust Bowl years with his brothers Graham, Forrest, and Rob and the challenges and rewards of growing up on a farm during that period surrounded by the support of his tight-knit family and church life. All four Orr brothers attended Abilene Christian College (now University), played center on the football team, and went on to great success in their lives and careers.

After serving in the US Army occupation forces in Japan, Dub received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Abilene Christian University in 1950, followed by a master’s of business administration from the University of Texas in Austin. While in Austin he met his future wife Polly Chenault who was working at the UT football ticket window. He often told the story how he always selected her window to buy his tickets until one day, he worked up the nerve to ask her out on a date. The pair were married on December 29, 1952 and lived happily together until Polly’s death almost 50 years later.

After a short stint as a high school teacher and football coach in Midland, Texas, Dub went to work for McWood Company in Abilene, Texas and later joined Ray McGlothlin and Randy Nicholson to launch E-Z Serve, Inc. He served as a Vice President of E-Z Serve until the sale of the company to Harken Oil in 1986.

Dub was a faithful member of South 11th & Willis Church of Christ, since the mid-1950s. The congregation held a special place in his heart and he served there as an elder for over 25 years. At the church, Dub was known for his weekly mimeographed newsletter (which he titled “The Occasional Infallible”) and his long-standing work as a spiritual counselor for many people from all walks of life. He and Polly cherished their work with many of the young married couples at church. In addition to his work as an elder at South 11th & Willis Church, Dub traveled around the country and sometimes the world, working with friends and colleagues from the university to provide conflict resolution to church congregations struggling with lack of unity.

Dub was a member of the Board of Trustees at ACU for 28 years, for most of that time serving as Secretary of the board while his friend and business partner Ray McGlothlin served as board President. Dub was honored as ACU alumnus of the year in 1995 and was a well-known figure on campus from his arrival as a freshman in the late 1940s until the latter years of his life.

After Polly’s death in 2001, Dub subsequently married Margaret Paas of Basalt, Colorado in 2004. He was blessed with a dozen happy years with Margaret and her grown children: Susan and her husband Alfredo Reynaga Romero, Dale and his wife Charlotte, and their children. For those years, the pair spent winters in Abilene and summers in Basalt attending Christ Community Church while enjoying the beautiful scenery and performances at the Aspen Music Festival.

Dub was preceded in death by his wife Polly and his brothers Graham and Forrest as well as siblings Boyd and Edith who died during their childhood. He is survived by his brother Robert Orr, his second wife, Margaret Paas Orr and his four children: Linda Orr, Lee, Scott, and Stephen as well as his daughters-in-law Lisette and Paula and son-in-law Chad Jacobs. He leaves behind six grandchildren: Becky, John, Katie, Mackenzie, Riley, Tim and grandchildren-in-law Courtney, Leslie, Sarah, Taylor as well as four great-grandchildren: Camden, Korben, Tanner, Thatcher; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Dub’s hundreds of friends, family, and business associates will greatly miss his easy smile and warm generous heart. Dub’s family gives special thanks to his caregivers and the staff at Legend Assisted Living in Tulsa, who nicknamed him “Mr. Dub” and honored him with loving care during the last year of his life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sam’s Place, a mission at 11 ^th & Willis that helps deaf orphans in Kenya that Dub supported (samsplacekenya.org ), or Christian Service Center of Abilene (cscabilene.org).

The family will receive visitors from 5PM to 7PM, Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Piersall Funeral Home. A memorial service to celebrate Dub’s long and happy life will be held at 11:00AM, Friday, June 23, 2017 at Highland Church of Christ. A private family graveside service at Elmwood Memorial Park will occur earlier that day.

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com