LaJuanna Jane "L.G." W. (Hale) Gorton

LaJuana Jane "L.J." (Hale) W. Gorton was born on July 31, 1938 near Sentinel, OK, to Horace Silvey and Iona Elizabeth (McCannon) Hale.  She passed away on November 4, 2020 at Maple Lawn Manor in Hydro, OK at the age of 82 years.  L.J. grew up in the Sentinel area where she graduated from Sentinel High School in 1955.  She entered what was then Southwestern Oklahoma College in Weatherford, OK.  While pursuing a major in English, she worked on campus in the English Department and in the Sentinel Drug Store on weekends and holidays. 

The degree of Bachelor’s of Arts in Education was issued July 30, 1959 which made a nice “early birthday present...” just one day off.   Upon receiving her certification issued in Standard Language Arts, grades 7-12, she began a career in public school education that spanned 31 plus years.  Her career began in Oklahoma with 4 years in Oklahoma, included a stay in New Mexico for 3 years, a move to Texas with 2 years in Brownfield and 21 years in Edinburg: (9 years at South Jr. High, 2 years at Pan Am University, as a Supervisor of Student Teachers while working on her Master of Education Degree; followed by 10 years at Edinburg High School Assistant Principal.)  Just to stay busy she served as Girl Scout Troop Leader for some 18 years.  Following her resignation at EHS at the end of the 1989-1990 school year.  L.J. then headed north of the Red River and married the love of her life, Dr. George F. Gorton, on June 30, 1990 in the Lake Eufaula Christian Church in Eufaula, OK.  She accepted a teaching position at Glenpool High School in Glenpool, OK, just outside of Tulsa.  The following year, an opportunity came up to help take over Dr. Cook’s Chiropractic Physicians Clinic in Hinton, OK.  So, the newlyweds moved again from NE Oklahoma to West Central Oklahoma at Hydro.  Together they eventually became owners/operators with L.J. being the President, public relations, office manager, and over all awesome individual and George was the V.P. and Doctor.  They both joined the Hinton Kiwanis Club and they both worked hard to serve the people of Hinton and surrounding communities in the best of their abilities.  In 2012 a second clinic was opened in Yukon, OK and the hours in Hinton were reduced to 3 ½ days so L.J. could have some time at home with things she wanted to do.  She continued to work in the clinic until she suffered a stroke on June 19, 2017.  She improved on June 28 and was transferred to St. Ann’s for rehab.  However, on morning of June 30 her sister went to visit and found her unresponsive.  She was transferred back to Integris for an emergency surgery.  Eventually on Aug 28 she moved to Maple Lawn Manor in Hydro where she later passed away.   She was a member of the PEO and of the Sickles Community Church, Lookeba, OK.

Survivors include; her husband, Dr. George of the home in Hydro, OK, children, Elizabeth Leejeanne "Shawn" Deimund of OKC, OK, Shelly Kaye Mathis and husband Rick of Tyler, TX, George Thomas Gorton and wife Starla of Glennpool, OK, Tiffany Ann Vaughn and Cory Britton of Tulsa, OK, Teri Lyn Allphin and husband Zac of Collinsville, OK and Tami Jo Gorton and wife Whitney of Glenpool, OK, grandchildren, Mark Deimund, Matt Deimund, Jared Deimund, Megan and Sean McDaniel, Taylor Gorton, Hunter Gorton, Abby Vaughn, Kolten Allphin, Dakota Allphin, Aiden Williams and Randon Lovitt, great-grandchildren, Hallie Claire, Jake, Sydney, Lakyn and Stetson, sister, Darlene Northcutt as well as a host of nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends.

L.J. was preceded in death by her parents, Horace and Iona Hale, grandson, Robert Joshua McDaniel, brother-in-law, James J. Northcutt, and in-laws, John and Georganna Gorton   

In lieu of flowers please make donations in L.J.'s memory to the Sickles Community Church Youth Ministry, 14021 CS 2550, Lookeba, OK 73053

Memorial Services: Sickles Community Church, Saturday, 11:00 am June 19, 2021, Lookeba, OK 

Officiating: Rev. Tom Clifton

Services under the direction of Turner Funeral Home, Hinton, OK

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of LaJuanna Jane "L.G." W. (Hale) Gorton, please visit our floral store.