More detail on this person: Al passed away on
Wednesday, March 6, in Lawton.
Burial will be at Fort Sill National Cemetery
under the direction of Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral
Home.
There will be a special viewing and visitation for
family and friends on Monday, March 11, 2013 from
6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Al was born on December 8, 1941 in Schenectady,
New York to Alfred F. Dreves Sr. and Lela
(Larkins) Dreves. He grew up in Schenectady where
he attended school, graduating from Shalmont High
School in 1959. In 1960, Al joined the United
States Army and served his country in many
locations including Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Rucker,
Alabama, Fort Eustis, Virginia and Fort Sill,
Oklahoma. He served two tours in Vietnam from
1968-1969 and 1970-1971. He later served in the
Oklahoma Army National Guard until his retirement
in 1986 with the rank of Major. While in the
service he received many awards and medals. He
then worked for Associated Finance and later
owned and operated TD Allen Body Shop for three
years and worked for Milo Gordon. He was an
insurance adjuster and owned and operated Auto
Damage Appraisers. He also worked as USAA as
an Insurance Appraiser before retiring in 1994. He
worked for a while at Howard Smith Ford as the
Assistant Body Shop Manager and then began a
career in Agriculture Construction; owning and
operating his own business. He married Jody
(Petersen) Autry on December 31, 1989 in Lawton.
Al was a Volunteer Firefighter for Cox's Store
Volunteer Fire Department from 1989 until the
present and has served as Fire Chief for the past
17 years. He was the first person in the state of
Oklahoma to receive the Volunteer Firefighter of
the Year Award in 2009. He joined the Lawton
Rangers in 1990 and served as President from
1999-2000. He was a member of the VFW Post and
was a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot
Association. He also attended Cache Creek
Cowboy Church . Al was a loving husband, pop,
grandpa, great grandpa and brother who loved to
hunt and fish. He was greatly loved and will be
miss by all who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Jody, of the home; his
son, Christopher Dreves, of Fayetteville,
Arkansas; his brother and sister in law, Jeffrey
and Marlene Dreves, of Girard, Ohio; his sister
and brother in law, Amelia and Sean Hallam, of
Schenectady, New York; four grandchildren,
Michael Bolser, Stephanie Dreves and fiance',
Brandon Brown, Raymond Dreves and Darrian
Anderson; two great grandchildren, K'Ola Dreves
and Carson Pankratz; his brothers in law, Neil
Petersen ( Lee Preheim), Mark Petersen (Barb) and
Joel Petersen; numerous nieces, nephews; his
family at Cox's Store Volunteer Fire Department
and Lawton Rangers and a host of other loving
friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his in
laws, Frisco and Clara Jane Petersen and his
brother in law, Todd Petersen.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be
made to the Cox's Store Volunteer Fire Department
at 14810 NE Rogers Lane, Lawton, Oklahoma
73507.
Burial information: Fort Sill National Cemetery, Fort Sill, OK
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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