Steve Milton Christian

Oct. 9, 1951 Aug. 18, 2023

Steve Milton Christian, 71, of Dill City, Oklahoma was born October 9, 1951 at Sentinel, Oklahoma to Elton & Della Jo (Green) Christian. He went home to be with the Lord on Friday, August 18, 2023 with his wife Linda by his side. She comforted him and strengthened him daily.

Steve was raised on the family farm south of Dill City. He has always been very proud to live in Washita County where Great Grandpa Christian homestead and where Grandpa George Green bought the farm Steve was raised on and helped farm for most of his life. Before spending time in Mannford to be near his daughter, he made sure his final resting place would be here in Washita County.

Steve met the love of his life on a blind date! This date was arranged by Rick and Dana Ellis. Rick is Linda’s cousin and Steve and Dana went to church and school together! Now let’s try to think back to 1974! No Facebook, no Snapchat. They were literally born and raised 18 miles from one another. Their childhood dogs were brothers from Aunt Molly and Gale. Betty, Berdena, & Della Jo stopped at my Moms childhood home and asked for directions. They occupied the same apartment in Clinton at different times of their young adult lives! But Gods timing and choosing their path was not until 1974.

Charlotte was the door, he went to Mr. Pankratz and told him the truth and his honesty kept him out of a heap of trouble! He also told stories of pop bottle rocket fights on the gin yard! He has hidden all the Christmas presents!

While writing this, I began to wonder if he suffered from a lack of identity. You see, he has dressed up as a woman at Halloween and visited most of the family! He wore a Santa suit on more than one occasion to pick his niece up from the airport and to mess with me on my wedding day! He also dressed up as a biker with tattoos and a fake earring at a family reunion! But the best was just being my Daddy!

Daddy continued a legacy of being a Christian, and not just by name, but by salvation! He was human and did make his mistakes, but he held himself accountable to God. He taught Sunday school and served as an usher for many years. He also acted as chairman of several pulpit committees. He and Mom instilled those same values in me. Faithfulness often provided more than we asked for. I never remember doing without, and I do remember always being satisfied with what God provided for our family. Except maybe the green Lincoln.

After retirement came time to concentrate on Grandkids! Trestin and Lindley were the light in his eyes! He spoiled them with man size belt buckles and pearl and diamond necklaces!

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Dill City First Baptist Church, Dill City, Oklahoma. Pastor Ron Roskam will officiate. Interment will be at South Burns Cemetery, Dill City, oldest Steve was the middle and Dave came just 16 months later. Mammie had him potty trained before Dave was born! They were built in best friends! They did chores together, pulled pranks on their Momma together, and the three of them had pet pigs that followed them around the farm! Charlotte was always “in charge”! Daddy helped Pop farm and planted cotton, stripped cotton, sowed wheat, harvested wheat. Raised cows and got them up in the lot to separate. Then Pop would let them out and they would get them up and separate again! Daddy was methodical. He liked to be prepared and be early!

He was a hard worker! He drove a school bus while still in high school and worked at Jigg’s Turkey farm. He made a hand at the Dill City Coop Gin before joining the oil field! He provided for his family using whatever means possible. Mowing lawns, putting cotton strippers on tractors, stripping cotton or plowing. He retired from ODOT after 29 years of service. Sometimes his job required him to wrestle highway alligators!

He was a happy man with a tendency to pull a prank or five or six! He often told me about a time he and some friends set an outhouse on the high school front steps and they accidentally broke the front Oklahoma. Services have been entrusted to the care of Richard and Tammy Dugger and the staff of Martin-Dugger Funeral Home in Elk City, Oklahoma.

Cherishing his memory is wife Linda of the home; daughter, Stephanie Thurman and Justin Thurman of Mannford, Oklahoma; two grandchildren, Trestin Thurman and Lindley Thurman both of Mannford, Oklahoma; sister, Charlotte Stehr and her husband, Norman of Clinton, Oklahoma; brother- in-law, Phil Delp and his wife, Chrissy of Canute, Oklahoma; sister- in-laws, Pam Delp and Judy Farris both of Burns Flat, Oklahoma; and a host of other loving family and friends.

Steve is preceded in death by his parents, Elton and Della Jo Christian; brother, Dave Christian; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Junior and Mary Faye Delp; brother-in-law, Jimmie Delp.

A special thank you to Complete Hospice, Amy Jackson, and Felecia Mills for caring for Steve and offering much needed respite for Linda.

Memorials can be made to the Dill City First Baptist Church or the Dill City Alumni Association in care of Martin-Dugger Funeral Home, P.O. Box 707, Elk City, Oklahoma 73648.

We invite you to leave a message of condolence, expression of sympathy or perhaps share a memory of Steve at www. martin-duggerfuneralhome. com.

The family would like to invite all that cannot attend to watch the service live on Martin- Dugger Funeral Home website.