THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 74 | JANUARY 2025 Debra Carol Cook of Norman died Sept. 25. She was born Aug. 18, 1958, in Edmond. She attended Norman High School and graduated from OU. Ms. Cook received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1982. She spent 35 years at the accounting firm KPMG, where she was a tax managing director before retiring in 2018. After retiring, she maintained friendships with many of her former colleagues around the country. Ms. Cook had also conducted genealogy research and recently completed a college-level genealogy course. Gregory Ben Dixon of Norman died Nov. 17. He was born Dec. 16, 1966, in Muskogee. He was primarily raised in Checotah, where he attended school and graduated from Checotah High School in 1985. Mr. Dixon continued his educational and athletic career at OU. He was a member of the OU football team, achieving three conference championships and one national title and lettering all four years. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1994. With experience in both public and civil litigation, he was elected district judge for Cleveland, McClain and Garvin counties in 2011. He also served as supervising district judge for McClain and Garvin counties. After four years on the bench, he returned to private practice and became a partner at Nichols Dixon. He served on various ministry boards and participated in many organizations and clubs, such as Sooner Brotherhood, rotary club and the chamber of commerce. Memorial contributions may be made to Susie Peters, Mr. Dixon’s dear friend who is battling cancer. Michael Scott Fern of Nichols Hills died Oct. 10. He was born May 29, 1954, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Putnam City High School in 1972, earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from OU in 1978 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1980. He spent the first decade of his legal career as an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General and devoted the remainder of his career to the higher education sector. He served as general counsel to the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges in the late 1980s, and for the largest part of his career – over three decades – he acted as counsel to the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. During that time, he also taught several courses to undergraduate students at OSU in higher education law, administrative law and constitutional law. His career culminated with him being named executive vice president of Oklahoma City Community College in 2022. Harry H. Goldman of Seattle died Nov. 22. He was born Nov. 13, 1952. Mr. Goldman received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1976. John Wayne Gosney of Yukon died Nov. 17. He was born Aug. 27, 1946, in Tulsa. Mr. Gosney graduated from Bethany High School in 1964. He then attended OU before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. Mr. Gosney was assigned to the Air Force Security Service as a Russian linguist, placing him in the top 1% of basic training graduates. After attending language school in Syracuse, New York, he was stationed in Italy for the duration of his service. He then returned to Oklahoma and completed his undergraduate education at Central State College in Edmond. Mr. Gosney began working at Kerr-McGee in 1973 and eventually moved into the role of employee relations director. He attended night school and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1978. He retired from Kerr-McGee in 2003. Saundra Floreta Lapsley of Gainesville, Texas, died July 10. She was born Aug. 23, 1948. Ms. Lapsley received her J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2001. Patrick Thomas Layden of McAlester died Nov. 17. He was born April 18, 1961, in McAlester. He graduated from McAlester High School in 1979 and earned his bachelor’s degree from OU and his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1987. As a third-generation attorney, Mr. Layden returned to McAlester, joining the Layden Law Firm and working alongside his family. His love for the law and dedication to his clients eventually led him to establish his own firm, Pat Layden Law Firm. He recently welcomed his daughter, Danielle, to the firm as a fourth-generation attorney. He was a proud, lifelong member of the community and served on several boards, including the Boys & Girls Club of McAlester and the McAlester Regional Health Center Foundation. In Memoriam
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