Obituary for Cleve Largent of Waurika Oklahoma

P. C. "Cleve" Largent Jr. was born May 2, 1924 in Waurika, Oklahoma to Thelma Louise Cargill and Pinkney Cleveland Largent, Sr. He passed from this life Sunday, December 20, 2009 at his home in Waurika at the age of eighty-five. Cleve graduated from Waurika High School in 1942. He enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in the fall of 1942. Cleve served his country in the Army Air Corp in December 1942 and was called to active duty in January of 1943. He went overseas in May of 1944 as a B-25 Bomber Pilot, but was transferred to a Troop Carrier Group with the office of Strategic Services flying combat supply and landing missions over Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece. He completed a total of 30 such missions, of which 19 were missions in which he landed and took off in enemy occupied territory. He was shot down on July 21st, 1944 in Northern Yugoslavia near the Hungarian border. The plane caught fire and exploded, Largent went through a hole in the side of the fuselage, and opened his parachute just in time. The five other crew members were killed in the crash. He managed to evade capture, and made it back to a place he could be evacuated by plane, in August, and was returned to Italy. Cleve was separated from active duty in November 1945 , but remained in Air Force Reserve until he was discharged as captain in 1957. Cleve was awarded the Air Medal, with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, European Theatre Ribbon with five Bronze Stars, American Theatre Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Unit Citation Badge with Bronze Star and Victory Medal. He re-entered the University of Oklahoma in January 1946. Cleve entered pre-law, and then graduated from Law School in September 1949 with a Bachelor of Law Degree. He later received a Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1970. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity at OU. He and Nell Marie Harris were united in marriage June 5, 1949 in Ryan, Oklahoma. He was appointed as an Attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Interior in 1949 in Tulsa then resigned after one year and returned to Waurika. He became the County Judge of Jefferson County in November 1951 and served until July of 1957. He was then appointed County Attorney and served until January of 1961. He then entered the private practice of law. He was reappointed chief criminal prosecutor in four County district, as Assistant District Attorney. He resigned after two years and was elected Associate District Judge. He served 18 years before retiring as Judge in 1987. In 1987 he assumed full control of Guaranty Abstract Company of Jefferson County. This company was one of the oldest family owned business' in Jefferson County started before statehood by his great grandfather. He sold the company to Tim Good in 1997. He taught sunday school at the First United Methodist Church for over 50 years. He was also a scoutmaster for the Waurika Boy Scouts for many years. He was on the First Commission on Alcoholism in Oklahoma and was a friend of Bill W for 44 years.