Donavan LeRoy Gant

Donavan LeRoy Gant

1935-2015

Donavan LeRoy Gant, 79, of Edmond, Oklahoma was born April 22, 1935 in Edmond, Oklahoma to Alfred LeRoy and Margaret Adeline (Smith) Gant.

Raised the Guthrie area, Donavan attended Navina School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Guthrie High School in 1953. He then began classes at Oklahoma State A& M. Donavan and Janice Loree Schmidt married on Sept. 4, 1954, and they moved to Edmond in 1955. Between work, starting a family, and changing majors, Donavan graduated from Central State College (now University of Central Oklahoma), in 1972. He was proud of becoming a computer programmer at Standard Life Insurance in Oklahoma City, when programming was done with circuit boards and wiring. His career including working as a Systems Analyst for Sperry-Univac, and Data Processing management for MetFirst and MetLife. He retired in 2002.

Donavan was in ROTC in high school, and later joined the National Guard, serving in the 179^th Infantry Regiment of the 45^th Division, and retiring as a Lt. Col. He served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for the 179^th Infantry Regiment Association, and the Association appreciated what he was able to do for the 179^th.

Donavan enjoyed dirt track racing, and visited as many as possible, spanning Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming. He was an avid reader, and enjoyed science fiction, war, and history books, and many varieties of magazines. The Class of ’53 (Guthrie) held potluck lunches every 3 months, and he attended as many as possible. Donavan enjoyed trying new restaurants, and he and his wife Janice visited many in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado.

Donavan joined his wife Janice in eternal rest on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, in Oklahoma City.

He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Janice and her parents, brother Marvin, and a sister-in-law and brothers-in-law.

He is survived by his daughter Donnita (Ron) Wilkens, son Mark Gant, grandsons Colt and Garrett Wilkens and Christopher Gant, sister-in-law Charlene Gant, nephews Kevin (Kathryn) Gant, Kenneth Gant, and many more nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family thanks the facilities and their staffs that cared for Donavan in the past months. Please consider a donation to your favorite charity in his name.

Visitation will be 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Friday February 20^th at Matthews Funeral Home. Services are 2:00 PM, Saturday February 21^st at Matthews Funeral Home Chapel.