Gerald Dean Presley

Gerald Dean Presley left this mortal plane on August 26th, 2021 at the age of 77.  He was born October 10th, 1943 in Seminole, OK, to Henry and Sarah Armstrong Presley.

Memorial services are scheduled for Friday, September 10th, at 2:00 PM at The First Assembly of God Church in El Reno, OK with Rev. Michael Moss officiating.

Gerald graduated from Bowlegs High School in 1961 with many academic and athletic honors. He married Lesana “Sonnie” Pease of Seminole on July 27nd, 1962. Together, they raised four children: his oldest son Greg, daughter Rebecca Smith, daughter Amy, and the youngest of all Christopher.

Gerald found Jesus at an early age and went into the ministry. During his Christian life, Gerald and his family were famous for their travelling children’s ministry known as “The Presley Puppets.” He utilized his amazing engineering and building skills to craft various puppet stages, which were devised for compact travel. He even helped make puppets and gave them hilarious mechanical abilities.

Gerald’s hobbies included whatever his doting wife told him to enjoy, including toy trains and antique repair. As a serial crafter, Sonnie kept him constantly tinkering and building, cutting parts she needed and helping her with all of her various projects. Together, they bought a Victorian home in the 1990s and spent their life fixing it up into their own paradise.

That house was a well-known fixture in town due to their extravagant Christmas displays. They initially started with some animatronic Mall displays--a waving Santa, a piano-playing dog and others--but soon he started scratch-building more elements to expand their Christmas cavalcade. He built a 12 foot tall working Ferris wheel; a working child’s-scale carousel (which prompted children to ring the doorbell and ask for rides), as well as many other elements. Their Christmas display often made local news or won awards, but always backed traffic up in the neighborhood.

Gerald retired from Macklanburg-Duncan where he worked as Facilities Maintenance Supervisor for over 40 years. His duties included oversight of complex manufacturing machinery. Over the years, Gerald pastored many churches, including The First Assembly of God of Stroud, Prague, El Reno, Choctaw, Nicoma Park, and Chickasha. He and his family then continued their ministry on the road. The family did Kid’s Crusades, Puppet Shows, and Revival Sermons all over the USA.

Gerald is survived by his adoring wife of 59 years, Sonnie; children, Greg & Bonnie; Becky & Bobby; Amy & fiancé; and Christopher & fiancée; grandchildren Kaylee & AJ; Tyler & Rebecca; Skyler; Wesley, Sarah, Brittany, great grandchildren Kaydence, Kaleb, and Kaylynn; Zyer, as well as many grand-dogs and great grand-dogs.

He was preceded in death by his parents; Sister Lorene Hack; and four brothers: Charles, Harold, Bob and Raymond.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a memorial fund in his wife’s name https://gofund.me/76f3068b