Charles Edgar "Ed" Vandergriff II, age 98, of Hugo, OK died Monday, March 30, 2009. He was born September 7, 1910 in Abilene, TX, the son of Charles Edgar and Lucretia Elizabeth (Herman) Vandergriff. Ed had lived in this area all of his life. He moved to Soper, OK with his parents in 1914 and later moved to Hugo, OK. Education was important and Ed was the class president at Soper High School where he also excelled in basketball, taking him to Murray State. He was class president at Murray Junior College in Tishomingo, OK and at the Traffic Institute at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Ed married Nora Ramsey Massengale on February 13, 1942 in Hot Springs, AR. Ed had served his country in the United States Army Air Corps from 1943-1945 in China, Burma, Thailand, Sumatra, Manchuria, and Japan. For a brief period of time, Ed was a member of the U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, TX. He was one of the first original Oklahoma Highway Patrol Officers when they were organized in 1937 and had served for twenty-two years from then until 1960. He was a retired captain for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. In 1961 he was Choctaw County Sheriff for two years. Ed worked as a State Inspector for the Highway Patrol under four commissioners. He was a 32nd Degree Mason of the Soper Masonic Lodge and a lifetime member of the Department of Disabled Veterans & American Legion. He was preceded in death by his parents his wife, Nora Vandergriff two sisters, Jean Traylor and Opal Vandergriff two brothers, Ben and Boyd Vandergriff one daughter-in-law, Rita Vandergriff. Ed is survived by one son, Charles Edgar "Eddie" Vandergriff III of Hugo, OK one daughter, Jan Smeigh of Worthington, OH two grandchildren, Dr. Amanda Lee Smeigh of Uppsala, Sweden and Toby Seth Smeigh of Worthington, OH two sisters-in-law, Nathalia Elmquist of Albuquerque, NM, Helen Massengale of Belle Vista, AR numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the Mt. Olive Funeral Home Chapel, on Thursday, April 2, 2009, between 5:30-7:00 P.M. A celebration of Ed's life will be held Friday, April 3, 2009, at 2:00 P.M., at the Mt. Olive Funeral Home Chapel in Hugo, OK with Chaplain Sam Garner officiating. Burial to follow at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, OK. The family has requested that if you choose to make donations in lieu of flowers please contact the Hugo Pregnancy Care Center or the Choctaw County Library. Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book or send private condolences to the family at www.mtolivefh.com

Published in The Oklahoman on 4/2/2009