Jerry Hudson
Russell Wayland Nixon August 24, 1935 â?? May 17 2016Russell W. Nixon, age 80, left to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. He was born and raised in Tulsa and graduated from Central High School and OSU. He is survived by his wife Patricia, his daughter Phyllis Hudson and her husband Jerry, two grandsons Nathan Hudson, married to Misty and Matthew Hudson, married to Jessie, and three great-grandchildren Riley, Logan and Dean. Also surviving Russell are his sister Colleen Bethel, and brothers Norman Nixon and Harold Nixon. His funeral will be at South Tulsa Baptist Church, Saturday May 21, 2016 at 1:00 PM.Russ married his high school sweetheart Patty Jean just about the time they graduated from Oklahoma A&M College, now known as Oklahoma State University. After graduating from OSU, they had their only child Phyllis. Russ began his first employment at the very top – of an oil derrick working first for his dad and then in the oil patches in New Mexico and North Dakota. He and Pat saved enough money so they both could quit work and attend college full time to pursue Masters Degrees. With his hard-knocks experience in the oil fields and a newly minted Masters in Business Education from Easter New Mexico University, he started a long and successful career as a Senior Systems Analyst, first for Sinclair Oil Corporation and then under Atlantic Richfield Company. Using his experience gained working with computers, he then worked as a Senior Systems Analyst at the Southern Baptist Convention Annuity Board in Dallas, Texas. Looking to broaden his horizons, he became the business manager at Judson College in Marion, Alabama. As a last hurrah, and to the delight of tens of thousands of children in the Tulsa area, he installed the first merry-go-round in Woodland Hill Mall. He is remembered for his friendly smile and a hearty "Here we go!" Russ became a Christian at an early age and church camps such as Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center and Tulakogee Conference Center played an important role in his life. Falls Creek was where he first started dating his wife Pat. He became very involved with and was a generous board member for Tulakogee for many years. He loved flying and became a private pilot during his early years of marriage. Another hobby was model railroads which, although limited by his failing sight, he designed and supervised the building of an elaborate HO scale layout. He enjoyed much camaraderie with other local enthusiasts in his retirement. In his later years, he enjoyed his grandsons and then great grandchildren who loved him very much.