Donald Kohl Bixler's Obituary
ãâ?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬”It’s Was A Wonderful Life!” ãâ?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Ã£â?¬â?¬Donald Kohl Bixler (88) closed his eyes very peacefully on March 23, 2012 to begin his new life in heaven.ãâ?¬â?¬ Donald K. Bixler was born on December 27, 1923 in Reading Pennsylvania to Owen O. Bixler and Susan Elizabeth Kohl Bixler.ãâ?¬â?¬ Donnie was the youngest of 14 children.ãâ?¬â?¬ He graduated from Shillington High School in Shillington, PA and joined the army in 1942.ãâ?¬â?¬ His duties took him to Algiers, Naples and Vienna before his discharge as a Sergeant in 1946.ãâ?¬â?¬Following his military service, Don attended the Oklahoma School of Accounting,ãâ?¬â?¬Law and Finance.ãâ?¬â?¬ After graduation, Walter Emerson, a bridge partner, sent him on an interview with First National Bank & Trust of Tulsa.ãâ?¬â?¬ Don was not sure he was interested in banking, but twoãâ?¬â?¬weeks later after the interview he joined the staff.ãâ?¬â?¬ Heãâ?¬â?¬stayed 21 years.ãâ?¬â?¬In 1968, he co-founded Southeastern State Bank, the name of which was changed to Bank ofãâ?¬â?¬Tulsa in 1977.ãâ?¬â?¬ In 1986, he joined the Business Division of Western National Bank.ãâ?¬â?¬ His tenure with Western lasted through the changes to Bank IV, Boatman’s, Nations and Bank of America.ãâ?¬â?¬ In 1997, Don joined BancFirst family.ãâ?¬â?¬ In 2004, he was honored for 50 years of service to the Oklahoma Banking Industry.ãâ?¬â?¬ In 2008, he retired from BancFirst at the age of 85.ãâ?¬â?¬Don had a nickname for everyone and in return people had a nickname for him. “Donnie” was notorious for making others smiles or laugh.ãâ?¬â?¬ He always had a joke or two to share.ãâ?¬â?¬ “Bix” always said the golf course was his second home.ãâ?¬â?¬ He was a charter member of Oaks Country Club in Tulsa, OK.ãâ?¬â?¬ Not only did Don help others through his banking years, he was also very proud to help his community and country.ãâ?¬â?¬ He was an active member of the South Tulsa Executive Group, Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma National Bankers Assoc., Oklahoma and National Republican Party, Fellowship Lutheran Church and a … diehard Boomer Sooner fan!ãâ?¬â?¬Don is survived by his loving wife, Cleta.ãâ?¬â?¬ Their daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl (known to Don as “Babe”) and Craig Beers (known to Don as “Craig-O) and his granddaughter Emily Beers better known as “Sweetie” to her grandpa. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Fellowship Lutheran Church, 6727 South Sheridan, Tulsa, OK 74133 or online: www.flctulsa.org A Celebration of his life will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 10:00 A.M. in the Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will begin on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 12:00 P.M. with the family to receive friends from 6-8 P.M. Online condolences may be made at floralhaven.com.
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