Milton Lee McMahan

Funeral service for Milton Lee "Cowboy" McMahan will be 11 a.m., Wed., March 30, at First Baptist Church of Chelsea with Rev. Bridge Chuckluck officiating. Burial with military honors by the U.S. Army will follow at Chelsea Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Tues. 1-8 p.m.

Milton died Fri., March 25, 2011, at SouthCrest Hospital at the age of 87.

The son of William J. and Laura Belle (Boydston) McMahan was born Sept. 7, 1923, in Chidler, OK. He was raised and attended Chidler High School. After graduation he entered into the U.S. Army. Upon his discharge Milton returned to Oklahoma joining his family in Oologah. He lived there a short time before moving to Chelsea in 1949. In 1955 he met Pauline Tickeater in Tulsa. They were married March 15, 1955 in Miami. There he ran the Skelley Oil Station for many years. He later left the service station and began working for Boeing in Wichita A few short years later he and his family moved back to Chelsea. He continued to work in the aviation industry joining the workforce at Rockwell International in Tulsa. For several years he worked on many high profile aircraft such as the space shuttle and the B1 Bomber. In his spare time he enjoyed raising cows, growing corn, working puzzles, watching deer in his yard, fishing, riding horses, but most of all spending time with his grandchildren. He was also an honorary member of the Sheriff's Association.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Pauline in 2006; grandson, Michael Sims, Jr.; and sons-in-law, H. Danny James and Johnny E. Jones 4 sisters and 3 brothers.

Survivors include son, Robert and Sue Markle of Chelsea daughters, Laura Jones of Chelsea, and Tammy McMahan and Howard Hopkins of Chelsea grandchildren, Tina and Steve Guthrie with children: Ashly, Kyle, and Jordan of Wichita, Ks. Ricky and Vickie McMahan and children: Brandon, Jeffery, Savannah, and Cheyenne. Jesse and Christy James and children: Johnathon and fiancé, Cheyenne Trent, Kyle and fiancéé, Bree Keith, J.T., Josh James, and Children: Johnny, Angel, and Adain. Matthew McMahan, Steven Sims, and Paige Elliott all of Chelsea .