Othel Clinkscale

Othel "Otis" Clinkscale (Sergeant First Class, United States Army, Retired), age 89, has gone home to meet his maker. He was born April 25, 1929 to Hodge and Minnie Clinkscale in Headrick, Oklahoma and he grew up in Altus, Oklahoma. Othel enlisted in the United States Army in May of 1946 and was trained as a helicopter mechanic. He was a member of the post-war occupation force in Japan. Also, he served in Korea and Germany. He retired after more than 20 years from the Army in 1968 while serving at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He made Ozark, Alabama his home after retirement.

On October 16, 1948, he married Coe Vella Potts. They were partners in life until she passed away in 2010. They were both long time members of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Ozark.
Following his retirement from the Army, he worked another 20 years as a civilian on the Fort Rucker Army Base. Later, he worked for a local Ozark lawn mower repair shop.

He loved working outside and on his lawn mowers. He purchased property across the street from his house and he spent many happy hours working to make it into a park like setting. He knew the sounds of many birds and the smell of the different flowering shrubs. He put corn out for deer that frequented the property. Once a hunter, he said that he just enjoyed watching them now. He even loved the squirrels despite an episode where they ate the corn in his garden the day before he was going to harvest it. Most of all he loved his Boston terriers and particularly his dog Bo. Bo always brought a smile to his face and laugh from his heart. Bo was his best friend.

He had two siblings; Bettye Smith of Salem, Oregon and Odell Clinkscale both of whom proceeded him in death. He is survived by his nephew Jeffrey Smith and his wife Kathy of Aumsville, Oregon, his niece Judy Billings of Salem, Oregon, and Jennifer Kilmer and her husband Vern of Salem, Oregon.

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, March 23, 2019 in Woodlawn Memory Gardens with Reverend Jim Hill officiating. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends following the graveside service.

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