VOC history

Gerome Riley – HIstorian, Semi-Pro Baseball Player

Biography Born near Chelsea, Oklahoma, Gerome Riley attended a rural all-black school through the Eighth grade. And because of segregation he had to choose between going to Claremore, Nowata, or Vinita for high school. He selected Claremore Lincoln and became a member of Claremore’s only…

how Ne-Mar Shopping center came to be

Main street claremore 1950-1970

Lifetime Claremore Resident, Businessman, and Historian Rob Melton reflects on growing up with a bustling Main Street spanning 1950's to the 1970's.

JOHN COCKRUM

Claremore graduate, Educator and Pearl Harbor survivor Biography John Andrew Cockrum is a “once in a lifetime educator” - the embodiment of what an educator should be. In the course of his tenure as Sapulpa Junior High and Sapulpa Senior High principal, he was mediator,…

JOHN CARY

Local Attorney and Long time Claremore and Rogers County Historian Biography John Cary is an attorney and community volunteer. John and his wife, Bobbie, have lived in Claremore since 1984. They have 2 children, Patrick and Elizabeth. He grew up in a small town in…

LARRY LARKIN

Journalist, retired US Postal Service employee and local sports history expert Biography Larry Larkin is a 1965 graduate of Claremore High School, his family having moved from Tulsa to Claremore in 1963. He was born to parents Bill and Lois Larkin. An long time admirer…

DON CRUTCHFIELD & JACK MAYBERRY

Biography – Don Crutchfield Don Crutchfield was born and raised in Claremore, Oklahoma. He was the only son of Joseph and Opal Crutchfield. He went to Claremore Public Schools and graduated from Claremore High School in 1945. As a child, he loved and admired his…

DAVE FAULKNER

Pioneer Claremore family member and long time owner of Rogers County Abstract Biography Dave Faulkner was born December 1, 1951 in the Franklin Hospital in Claremore. Born into a family with a long history of public service, he also shares a family name. His great-grandfather,…

ROB MELTON

Many decade family car dealership owner and Claremore historian Biography Rob Melton is a progressive Claremore businessman who has grown his family dealership into its fifth generation. His love of cars, combined with his business acumen, has enabled him to streamline the auto buying process…

Wayne McCombs

Museum Director, Radio Broadcaster and Local Sports Historian Biography Wayne McCombs’ family moved to a farm south of Claremore in 1958. In the ninth grade he began working at the local radio station, KWPR. The station was a 500 watt, AM daytime station at the…

Pat Reeder

Journalist - Long time Claremore Progress writer and Will Rogers Memorial Public Relations Director Biography Born and raised on a rocky hillside of her father’s Cherokee allotment, overlooking the Verdigris River bottom, northeast of Nowata Oklahoma, Patty Reeder was the daughter of Jim and Juanita…

Curtis Rohr

A fifth generation Cherokee whose ancestors came here on the Trail of Tears. Biography Curtis Rohr's life and family history belong to the town of Verdigris as much as they belong to the man. Rohr is a fifth generation Cherokee, whose ancestors came here…