William Robert Bob Givens passed from this life Wednesday, September 3, 2003, at the Jefferson County Hospital, at the age of seventy-eight. He was born February 13, 1925, to Willis Leonard and Josephine Dorothea Givens in Ryan, Oklahoma. Bob and Ida Dickerson were united in marriage on May 29, 1946, in Checotah, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Ryan, where he was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher. He was also a member of the Ryan Masonic Lodge #67, American Legion and VFW. He was the voice of the Ryan Cowboys and Cowgirls for fifty years. He most recently was honored by having Cowboy field renamed the Bob Givens Sports Complex. He owned and operated Brown Brothers Drygoods for forty years. Bob was also employed by Community Action Development Corporation since 1987. He was a graduate of Ryan High School where he was valedictorian of his class in 1943. He served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. On his first mission he was shot down behind enemy lines and continued on for twenty-nine more combat missions. Bob will be greatly missed by the community of Ryan and by all who knew him.

Survivors include: his wife, Ida Givens, of the home in Ryan, OK; four sons - Russell and his wife Julia, of McKinney, TX; Randy and his wife Pattie of Murphy, TX; Reggie and his wife Sharon of Ryan, OK; and Rob and his wife Donna of North Richland Hills, TX; one sister - Joyce Gregston of Duncan, OK; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, and one on the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Willis Leonard Givens and Josephine Dorothea Whitman, one brother, Joseph Worsham Givens, and one sister, Virginia Givens Gilchrist.

Funeral Services for Mr. Givens were at 1:00 PM, Sunday, September 7, 2003, at the Ryan First Baptist Church with Rev. Trey Smart and Rev. Clarence Mize officiating. Burial was in the Ryan Cemetery, under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Ryan.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund or to the Ryan Senior Citizens Center.