David Vincent Barksdale

David Vincent Barksdale was born the second child of Donald and Stella Barksdale in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 14th 1936. He grew up a true Hoosier and loved to play basketball and other sports. He was an accomplished athlete at Warren Central High School where he lettered in football, basketball and track and field. He was the class president and quarterback of the football team. He attended Hanover College where he also played football and graduated with a bachelor's degree. Following a stint in the marines, where he grew up fast, he met the love of his life Charlene Virginia Bowers. They were married August 15th, 1959, a marriage which lasted 58 years. Their first son David arrived in 1960 followed by son Jeff a short time later. The family moved to Pittsburgh in the early sixties where David eventually began his risk management career at Gulf Oil / Chevron Corporation where he worked most of his life. David came to a deep abiding faith in Christ when his third son Don met with a tragic automobile accident at the age of 3. Don miraculously recovered and awakened from a coma after 4 weeks singing "Will you be ready when Jesus comes". David's faith became the defining characteristic of his life going forward. A few years later his fourth son Andy was born completing David's family. David's job took the family to multiple cities across the nation from Pittsburgh, to San Diego, to Houston, to San Francisco before eventually retiring to Tulsa Oklahoma to be near their son's families and new grandson Matthew. David was a sports fanatic. He was an avid Steelers fan and loved Indiana basketball and just about any other sport he could find on TV. If he wasn't watching sports or spending time with his family, David loved to play his ukulele, or listen to music. He was proud of the fact that he owned virtually every Frank Sinatra recording ever made. David taught his sons to love God, music, and family. He was active in the church over the course of his life where he served as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, deacon, worship leader, and drama team member. He was a member of Bethany Church in Broken Arrow and also served in the Gideons, delivering bibles and speaking on their behalf.He was preceded in death by his mother Stella, father Donald, older sister Donna Jean, and his wife Charlene. He is survived by his four sons David, Jeff, Don, Andy and his grandson Matthew.Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 13, 2019 at Bethany Church, 100 North Olive Avenue,Broken Arrow, OK 74012