In memory of Eley Eggar

Eley Toliver Eggar-August 4, 1934-July 24, 2019

Eley Toliver Eggar was born to Hattie and Eley Owen Eggar on August 4, 1934 in Snowmac, Oklahoma. The town was so small there wasn’t a school, so he attended and graduated from Wolf Schools in 1951.

He worked at Auto Light Battery Company until the fall of 51 when he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma. While attending the university, he worked as a house boy in a sorority house; a job he said he thoroughly enjoyed.

In 1953 Eley moved to Oklahoma City and started his career, in the grocery business, where he worked for Humpty Dumpty. While living in Oklahoma City, he met and later married Janice Carole Butler on December 12,1953. From 1954-1956, Eley served in the military. He was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas and assigned to the 246 Missile Battalion. During this time, Eley and Jan had two daughters, Jackie and Jeanne.

After the military, Eley went back to what he knew best,the grocery business. He worked for several grocery stores from Dallas, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1957 Eley bought into Smith Grider Grocery and moved his family to Moore, Oklahoma. Sons Eley Jr. and Paul were added to their family while living in Moore.

In 1964, right before the birth of their fifth child David, Eley bought Harry Kauri’s Grocery Store in Watonga. After a time, he expanded his Watonga business by building a new store called “Eley’s Red Bud.”

Watonga became home, and the family started attending The First Baptist Church. Eley was a member of Lion’s Club, Watonga Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Library, and also served on the Watonga Hospital Board.

After developing health issues, Eley sold his Watonga store and rented the building to other businesses. During his grocery career, along with the Watonga store, Eley owned grocery stores in Holdenville, Blanchard and Oklahoma City. He continued to live in Watonga until December 2018 when health issues caused him to move to an assisted living facility in Oklahoma City.

Eley is survived by his son-in-law Mark Strack of Geary, daughter Jeanne Karns and her husband Brett of Watonga, son Eley Eggar Jr. and his wife Sherrie of Watonga, son Paul Eggar and his wife Shelly of Yukon, son David Eggar and his wife Kelly of Edmond.

His granddaughter Tabbitha Kiener and husband Randal of Geary, grandson Javis Karns of McKinney, Texas, granddaughter Savannah Betancur of Watonga, grandson Brent Eggar of Oklahoma City, grandson Ethan Eggar of Auburn, Pennsylvania, grandson Chad Eggar of Oxford, Ohio, great grandsons Gabe and Kameron Kiener of Geary and Trey and Tyler Betancur of Watonga.

Eley was preceded in death by his beloved wife Jan and his daughter Jackie Strack.

Funeral services for Eley will be Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 10:30 A.M. at the First Baptist Church in Watonga, OK with Pastor Jim Westmoreland officiating. A private family burial will be held after the funeral at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Watonga, OK . Wilkinson Mortuary of Watonga.