Richard Adam Biltz

Richard Adam Biltz was born May 29, 1926 to Charles Biltz, and Johanna Uhlott Blitz in Oil City, Pennsylvania. He died on February 3, 2023 in Sulphur at the age of 96. Services are entrusted to DeArman Funeral Home and will be held Thursday, February 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Crossway Baptist Church chapel in Sulphur, Oklahoma, with Bill Leveridge officiating.

Richard was one of ten children. He had five brothers and four sisters. He was raised in Oil City, where he helped on his family farm. He did not have a high school diploma, but did go on to receive his GED later in life. He was drafted into the US Army in 1944 at the age of 18. He served in World War II and received several awards during that time, including two purple hearts, victory medal, good conduct medal, and bronze star medal. He left the Army in 1946 and three years later he enlisted in the US Air Force where he served from 1949 until his retirement in 1969. He then worked the rest of his career and retired from the City of Dallas.

Richard married Gladys Beck in April of 1975, in Irving Texas. Upon his marriage to Gladys, he was blessed to inherit three children. He never had any children of his own, but from those three children, he went on to inherit grandchildren, great grandchildren and not even great-great grandchildren.

Richard loved to work with his hands. He always had a garden and was wonderful at woodwork, making bird houses, doll houses, benches, anything that he could make that would make his wife, or one of his children or grandchildren happy.

Richard and Gladys lived in Irving until the early nineties after his retirement, and then moved to Lake Elsinore, California, where they lived until 2012, when they moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Gladys was the love of his life, and he was never afraid to talk about how much he loved his “precious”, “sweetie” and several other sweet nicknames he had for her. He and Gladys loved going to the casino in their later years, and he continued loving to do that up until the week he passed away. Richard also liked to cook, but only a couple specialties, such as goulash and fried chicken. Gladys was a wonderful cook, so he didn’t want to make much else. He did help her every Christmas make candy for family and friends, and he was the master at making peanut brittle. When Gladys passed away in June of 2020 life was just never the same for him.

In 2021, Richard moved to Sulphur to be near his granddaugher and was a resident of the Sulphur Veterans Center until his death.

He went on weekly trips with Traci and Buck to the casino and out to eat pepperoni pizza. He was very particular about his pizza, and only Pizza Hut thin crust pepperoni would do.

Richard is survived by his son-in-law Eddie Lancaster of Oklahoma City; his grandchildren Will Stamper of Wilminton, California; Ben Drake and wife Dana of Red Oak, Texas; Traci Franks and husband Buck of Sulphur; Tamara Brewer and husband John of Elk City, Oklahoma; Kimberlin Lancaster of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Josh Lancaster, Stephen Lancaster and Ben Lancaster all of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is also survived by a special niece, Judy Sitton of Montague, Texas, along with several other great nieces and nephews. Sixteen great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Gladys Blitz, nine brothers and sisters, his son Wilton Stotler, and daughters Jeannetta Stoler, and Suzzanne Lancaster.

The family would like to thank Sulphur Veterans Center for their outstanding care for Richard over the last 14 months.

Interment will be at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. Military services will be preformed by the US Army Honor Team.