Durant (Okla.) Daily Democrat, Sunday, May 28, 1978

Memorial Service Set For Troopers

Memorial Service Set For Troopers

OKLAHOMA CITY – A memorial service for three Oklahoma Highway Patrolmen who died near Caddo Friday while trying to stop two killers will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the state capitol building.

It's expected to draw an army of lawmen from not only Oklahoma but also from every part of the nation.

Lt. Pat Grimes, 36, Moore, died in Caddo minutes after William Young, 50, Woodward, and Houston (Pappy) Summers, Enid, were killed on a county road southeast of Kenefic.

Their bodies will lie in state from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the capitol rotunda, attended by an honor guard of fellow patrolmen.

Gov. David Boren proclaimed a week of mourning for the fallen officers and ordered flags flown at half-staff.

Highway patrolmen throughout the state were wearing a black ribbon of mourning on their badges Saturday. Officers of the Texas Department of Public Safety joined them in the salute.

Among those coming to Oklahoma will be a planeload of high Alabama Safety Department officials, and sheriffs of Choctaw and Sumter counties, Alabama, planned to drive here together.

It was in Texas where Dennis and Lancaster started their trail of blood after escaping from the Oklahoma state prison at McAlester five weeks ago. It led to western Alabama, where the pair killed a retired school teacher, before ending after an intense manhunt near Lake Texoma.

Funerals for the three Oklahoma troopers will be on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in their home towns.

The service for Lt. Grimes, attached to the patrol's internal affairs division, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the First Baptist church of Moore. Burial will be in Woodland cemetery at Sand Springs, where he was once stationed during his 12-year OHP career.

Grimes is survived by his wife Kay, and a daughter, Traci Lyn, 3.

The service for Trooper Summers will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Emmanuel Baptist church in Enid. Burial will be at Memorial Garden cemetery there. He was a 32-year patrol veteran, and had been assigned to Enid since 1951.

He is survived by his wife, Loree Rose.

Service for Trooper Young will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Woodward high school auditorium, with burial in Elmwood cemetery.

The 25-year patrol veteran is survived by his wife Letha, and grown sons Byron Lee, Jerry Lynn and Robert Leo.