Tommy Wayne Britton, aka “Buddy”, 85 years old, of Binger, OK, passed away peacefully on July 19, 2024 after fighting a courageous health battle.  He was surrounded by loving friends and family in the months, weeks, days, and hours until his passing.

Buddy was born on September 3, 1938, in Binger, OK, the son of Hubert and Louise (Keller) Britton.  He grew up on a farm 3 miles to the northwest of Binger with his parents, and older brother, Barney.  When Buddy was 9 years old, they moved to Binger, where Buddy would call home for the next 76 years.  Buddy was raised in the Binger Congregational Church, where he accepted the Lord as his Savior. 

  Buddy graduated from Binger High School in 1956, and then went on to Southwestern State College, now Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1960, followed by a Master’s degree in Education in 1968 with focuses in mathematics and physics. During his master’s program, he attended Kansas State University on a National Science Foundation Fellowship and Stanford University on a Shell Fellowship. He later attended the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, his favorite, for an endorsement in education administration.

 While attending SWOSU in the summer of 1967, Buddy met a beautiful lady by the name of Janet Fullerton.  After some persistence and charm, Buddy persuaded Janet into a dating relationship and were married on May 31, 1968, in Weatherford, OK. Over their 55-year marriage, they were blessed with three children, sons Terry and Berry, and daughter Sherry, who he deeply loved and four grandchildren, granddaughters, Lindsey, Jaley, and Loran, and grandson, Austin. His grandchildren were his pride and joy. 

After graduating SWOSU, Buddy would go on to work as an educator and administrator for 52 years in the education system with stints at Gracemont (1960-68), Western Heights (1969-70), Lookeba-Sickles (2001-2010), and Binger, later Binger-Oney, where he served 33 years (1970-2001 and 2010-2012).  During his tenures, he taught many math and science courses, and he served as a coach for various girls’ and boys’ sports. His highest level of employment in the education system was Superintendent, which he served for the Binger-Oney school system from 1988-2001. 

While growing up and throughout life, Buddy enjoyed many hobbies. These included hunting and fishing trips with his kids, grandkids, friends and family alike. He was also very involved with and coached little league baseball teams during the summers, as he had a passion for the game. Later in life, he enjoyed travelling adventures with his wife and kids. Papa and Nana/Nannie, as they were also called, enjoyed hosting grandkids for fun filled weeks at their house. He also enjoyed his many friends in the surrounding community and being able to enjoy a good cup of coffee with them, at their local hangout, Crainco’s. Often times, you would find him tutoring local children in the community there, too.

 

Buddy was very involved with the Binger community and surrounding communities throughout the years. He’s a member of the Caddo Nation Tribe. He was also a member of Binger Baptist Church. Buddy was a member of Binger’s Rotary Club and served as chapter President for several years. He also served on Binger’s Town Council and became Binger’s mayor for many years. 

Remaining family members to cherish Buddy’s memory are spouse, Janet Britton of Binger, OK; children, Terry Britton and wife Katrina of Owasso, OK, Berry Britton of Broken Arrow, OK, Sherry Hunt and husband Brad of Edmond, OK; grandchildren, Lindsey Britton and fiancé Jared Hall of Chandler, TX, Austin Britton of Stillwater, OK, Jaley and Loran Hunt of Edmond, OK; his brother-in-law, Greg Fullerton and wife Carol Fullerton of Albany, GA, and many other close relatives. 

 

Preceding Buddy in death are parents, Hubert and Louise Britton; brother, Barney Britton and wife Helen; his in-laws, Bud and Lora Fullerton as well as his grandparents, and many aunts and uncles.

 

Visitation will be held on Monday-Tuesday (July 22-23) from 10 am to 9 pm at the Turner Funeral Home in Binger. Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, July 24 at 10 am, at the Binger-Oney High School Auditorium with Tom Clifton, Mike Davis, and Mark Price officiating. Interment will be in the Binger Cemetery, services are entrusted to the Turner Funeral Home, Binger, OK, condolences can be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).  For this celebration of life, casual or business casual attire is appropriate.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Wayne "Buddy" Britton Memorial Scholarship Fund at Buddy's alma mater, Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). Memorials may be made by mailing a check payable to "SWOSU FOUNDATION" with "Britton Memorial" noted in the memorandum line to: SWOSU FOUNDATION, 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096. Memorials may also be made online at www.GiveToSWOSU.com (http://www.givetoswosu.com/) (select "Britton Memorials" in the dropdown menu") or by calling the SWOSU Foundation, Inc. at 580-774-3267