Donnie "Cleon" Brice

August 10, 1936 - April 17, 2021

Donnie Cleon Brice, age 84 died at 12:05 a.m. on April 17, 2021 in the home with his family. Cleon was born August 10, 1936 on one of the hottest days during the hottest summer on record in Elk City, Oklahoma. His tenacity in surviving that summer as an infant was displayed throughout his life. Cleon started working at age 10 throwing a paper route and picking cotton, and later working at the "picture show" in Elk City. Cleon moved from Elk City to Muskogee in 1961. He met and fell in love with Dorothy Faye Merriman who he married on April 15, 1963. They had 3 children, Cammeron Griffin Brice, Emily Jane Brice and Jeffrey Michael Brice. Cleon started working at Corning Glass in 1962 and worked his way up from the Guard Shack to 2nd Level Supervisor before he retired after 25 years in 1987. Later in life, he drove his brother Troy around Eastern Oklahoma, so Troy could tune pianos. Cleon treasured the time he spent with Troy as well as meeting new people and getting to see historical sites in Oklahoma. Cleon was an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball and OU Sooners football fan as well as having passion for American History and our National Parks. Cleon and his younger brother Troy spent their childhood listening to St. Louis Cardinals baseball games on the radio, and they became lifelong fans. Cleon really enjoyed the fact that he was able to attend games at all 3 Cardinal baseball stadiums. Cleon knew all about Sooner football, coaches, players and games played over the years. Cleon went to his first OU football game as a teenager and attended his last game in 2019 watching OU versus Army. Cleon spent many hours reading about and watching documentaries on American History, and he enjoyed sharing stories about his life, sports and American History with his family and friends. If you knew Cleon well, you may have heard a few stories more than once, but the stories were always consistent and interesting. Cleon was a Christian and longtime member of the West Side Church of Christ in Muskogee. He was very passionate about leading singing and enjoyed old time gospel music. He was kind and generous to his family, friends and anyone who needed a hand. Everyone reading this has likely shared in his generosity. Cleon is survived by his brother, Troy and his wife Freda; cousin, Farrell Wayne Corley; children, son Cammeron and his wife Nancy, daughter, Emily and her husband Butch, and son, Jeff and his wife Debra; grandchildren, Cecily, Kylor, Jeffrey, Faith, Corban, Megan, Hope, and Cody; and great- grandchildren, Lexy, Katie, Jasper, Scarlet, Wendy, Harper and Octavia. Cleon was preceded in death by parents, Herman Randolph and Wincie Leoda Brice; cousin, Cheryl Sue Overstreet; and wife, Dorothy Faye (Merriman) Brice. There will be a viewing at Cornerstone Funeral Home in Muskogee on Thursday, April 22nd from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The family will receive friends and guests from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A family conducted memorial service for Cleon will be at West Side Church of Christ on Friday, April 23rd at 10:00 a.m. followed by a graveside funeral service at Fields Cemetery in Porum at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to either West Side Church of Christ in Muskogee or to the National Park Foundation at https://www.nationalparks.org/.