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Apr 19, 2020

Twenty-Five Years Ago

     The bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people and injured 680 more happened at 9:02 CST on this date 25 years ago. Among those killed were 16 employees of the Social Security Administration. Those who committed the crime were anti-government zealots.
     Here is the list, prepared at the time, of the Social Security employees who lost their lives:
  • Richard A. Allen, Claims Representative Had 22 years of service with SSA. A Vietnam veteran, he was born in Bailey's Crossroads, Va., and won a scholarship to Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla. He is survived by a daughter and his mother. 
  • Saundra G. Avery, Development Clerk Worked nine years for SSA. She was a native of Danville, Ark., and was active in her church. A graduate of Central State University in Edmond, Okla., Sandy is survived by her parents and a brother. 
  • Oleta C. Biddy, Service Representative Worked 20 years for SSA. Oleta was born in Rosebud, Ark., and was active as a Sunday school teacher and taught children's choir at her church. She is survived by her husband, a son, two grandchildren and two sisters. 
  • Carol L. Bowers, Operations Supervisor Had 33 years of service at SSA, starting as a clerk-steno in December 1961. Carol was born in Chandler, Okla., and is survived by her husband and a son. 
  • Sharon L. Chesnut, Claims Representative Worked for SSA for 21 years and was an active member of her church. She was born in Oklahoma City and is survived by a daughter, her mother, a sister, a stepson and a stepdaughter. 
  • Katherine L Cregan, Service Representative Had 14 years of SSA service. Kathy was a native of West Memphis, Ark. A widow, Kathy is survived by three sons and five grandchildren.
  • Margaret E. Goodson, Claims Representative Had almost 21 years of service with SSA. Margaret enjoyed motorcycling and camping trips with her husband. Other survivors include three sons, one daughter, three brothers and four grandchildren.
  • Ethel L. Griffin, Service Representative Had 19 years of service with SSA, starting as a claims clerk. She was born in Illinois, where she attended Southwest Jr. College and the College of DuPage. Ethel is survived by her husband, two children and three grandchildren. 
  • Ronald V. Harding, Service Representative Had more than 30 years of government service. He served two years in the Army and also worked for the Air Force before joining SSA in 1967. A respected musician, Ron is survived by two sons, two daughters, his parents, two brothers and a sister. 
  • Raymond L. Johnson, Senior Community Service Volunteer National Indian Council on Aging worker, was stationed in the Oklahoma City DO for the past six months helping with Head Start programs for Seminole children. Born in Lawton, Okla., Raymond is survived by his wife, seven children, 21 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and a brother. 
  • Derwin W. Miller, Claims Representative Worked at SSA for five years. Derwin was an Arkansas native and a member of the Army Reserve. He was hired through the Outstanding Scholar Program. He is survived by a daughter, his parents, two brothers, a sister and two grandmothers. 
  • Charlotte A. Thomas, Contact Representative Had 12 years of service with SSA. She was employed previously with the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services. Charlotte is survived by a son. 
  • Michael G. Thompson, Field Representative Worked for SSA for 19 years. He served in the Army for more than two years. A Vietnam veteran, he is survived by his wife, three sons, one daughter, his mother, two brothers and one sister. 
  • Robert N. Walker, Jr., Claims Representative Had 15 years of service with SSA. He served in the Army for three years. Born in Jacksonville, Fla., Bob attended the University of Florida. He is survived by his wife, one son, three stepsons, one stepdaughter and 12 grandchildren. (See in-depth story.) 
  • Julie M. Welch, Claims Representative Was hired under the Outstanding Scholar Program in August 1994. Julie was a recent graduate of Marquette University and had studied abroad at the University of Madrid. She is survived by her parents, a brother and a stepbrother. 
  • William S. Williams, Operations Supervisor Had 20 years of service with SSA. An Oklahoma native, he had a degree in mathematics from Oklahoma State University. Steve is survived by his wife, three daughters, his father

11 comments:

  1. So sad. Shame is that more zealots than ever. People should stop and think about who they've voted for and remember Oklahoma

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  2. Irresponsible leader calling out white supremacists and militia nuts in the middle of a pandemic. We actually now have a president that likes to play with fire--the fire of hate that brought us Oklahoma City.

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  3. It's time to stop marking this terrible event every year. It's been 25 years and let's let it go already.
    Is the determination to keep observing this event in part because it was done by a right wing white male?
    He was executed as he should have been. McVeigh was one-off loser.

    As terrible as it was the number of people who were killed in Ok. City were a small fraction of the number of the thousands of people killed on 09/11 by terrorists..

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  4. I've done hearings in Oklahoma City. They are conducted in the new Federal Building, which sits right across the street from the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed. The site of the Alfred P. Murrah building is now the museum/memorial, which everyone who has the opportunity should see.

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  5. @7:57 - Please stop being such a snowflake. This tragic event will continue to be commemorated annually because a significant number of SSA employees were killed in the line of duty that day. There is no secret liberal agenda involved.

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  6. 7:57 PM
    By your own logic, should we stop commemorating 9/11, because it only killed 3,000, where COVID-19 (exacerbated by a do nothing President, and his incitement of protests against efforts to stop the spread) has already killed 40,000 and counting?

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  7. Snowflake is right @7:57. The movement is alive and well and just got called out by it's leader over the past week. I know you guys deal in lies, revisionism, and purging the truth from our history but come on and own it snowflake!

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  8. @7:57

    Yes, it is a secret political agenda to target white males and not arab males. That's why we only commemorate the anniversary of Oklahoma City, and ignore 9/11.

    For those that can't tell, I'm being sarcastic. On a more serious note, how disturbed are you to presume the point of commemoration is to target the perpetrator's ethnicity, as opposed to remember the victims?

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  9. I
    Reading the list of names and their descriptions is very sad, it sounds like any FO.
    Those people had so much to live for.
    So many innocent people killed when they went to work to help serve the American people,
    All because of one cruel man's obsession. (Well maybe two men if Nichols knew too. )

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  10. Anonymous said...
    So sad. Shame is that more zealots than ever. People should stop and think about who they've voted for and remember Oklahoma

    11:41 AM, April 19, 2020

    Most of the hate I hear these days seems to be coming from the left - the Trump Haters. Trying to equate what McVeigh did with ordinary citizens who voted for a guy who wasn't a typical politician and believes in limited government, less regulation, lower taxes, controlling our borders like any sovereign nation should, not giving billions of our hard-earned dollars to other countries as part of the "climate change" scam, protecting religious freedom, etc., is not only ridiculous but is hateful. It amazes me, 11:41, how those who accuse others of being hateful are often the most hateful people. 11:41, look in the mirror. Stop hating those who disagree with you. Have the intelligence to understand that because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they are racist, evil, or whatever. If you have a problem with those of us who support the president, tell us that using intelligent arguments, actually address an issue or two. Spewing words like racist, white supremacist, etc, just makes you look ignorant and hateful. Let's just stop all this, why don't we. It isn't Trump or those who support him who are fomenting hate. It is those in the media and on the left who hate Trump and those of us who voted for him that keep spewing the hatred and trying to stir up folks. Just stop it. You are better than that, at least I hope you are. Trump has done a lot right. Before this virus the economy was better than it had been in a very long time. Because of this guy you label "racist," African American unemployment was the lowest it had been in 50 years. Stop letting CNN and MSNBC stir your hatred, step back, and look at reality. Turn off the TV for a little bit. Seek out some balanced information. And, just stop spewing the hatred.

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  11. It's sad but I don't see why we should have to be reminded of this every year, after so long.
    We have enough tragedies to deal with right now.
    Let those poor employees RIP.

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