Gymnast helped OU win 1991 Big Eight title

Farewell to people with Oklahoma ties who enjoyed the game day experience:

•Jessica Frey-Spruell, 49, of Las Vegas. She was a standout gymnast for Oklahoma in the 1990s. Spruell, who transferred to OU from UCLA, was a Big Eight champ on the uneven bars and a two-time conference academic honoree. She was a member of the Sooners’ Big Eight championship team in 1991. Participated in two NCAA championship meets.

Spruell and sister Cassie Frey, also a former OU gymnast, owned and operated GYMCATS, an elite gymnastics training center in Nevada.

•Jim Kelley, 74, of Edmond. Kelley was a two-time selection to the Little All-City boys basketball team while playing for Bishop McGuinness. He also ran track for the Irish. The lawyer enjoyed fishing and hunting.

•Dr. Lanny Trotter, 81, of McKinney, Texas. The Stillwater native was a catcher at Classen High School and the University of Oklahoma.

Although he played for the Sooners — and graduated from the OU College of Medicine — he had a love for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, faithfully following the football, basketball, baseball, softball and wrestling programs.

Trotter coached his son’s baseball team and daughter’s softball team to several local and regional championships.

•Tom Hargus, 92, of Shawnee. The Korean War veteran played semi-pro baseball in Canada.

•Russ Tribble, 65, of Oklahoma City. He was An AllState lineman at Midwest City High School, and then played scholarship ball at Arkansas.

In 1973, Tribble was the only sophomore to start every game for the Razorbacks. As a 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior guard, he helped Arkansas win a Southwest Conference championship and beat Georgia in the Cotton Bowl.

Tribble worked an assistant coach at the university and high school levels — North Carolina State, Baylor, Central Oklahoma, Edmond Memorial and Midwest City.

•Andrew Hubbard, 42, of Oklahoma City. Played football and wrestled at Bishop McGuinness High School. The mechanical engineer loved to attend Oklahoma State football games with his family.

•Leonard Copeland, 81, of Kingfisher. Played basketball and baseball at old Big Four High School. He was a farmer after graduating from Oklahoma State.

•Terry Lauderdale, 72, of Edmond. He played high school football for his uncle, legendary Capitol Hill coach C.B. Speegle. Lauderdale worked as a lifeguard before becoming a helicopter pilot with the Army National Guard.

•Pat Davis Nutt, 85, of Oklahoma City. She played high school basketball at Pond Creek. Suffered a career-ending knee injury as a senior and turned to playing the saxophone in the school’s band.

•Gerald Weatherby, 78, of Oklahoma City. He starred in basketball at Neodesha High School in his native Kansas. Weatherby was also an avid runner who competed in marathons. He was the chemistry department chair at Oklahoma City University.

•Bob Holder, 92, of Midwest City. A longtime coach and official. Holder was The Oklahoman’s AllCity Football Coach of the Year after leading the 1958 Moore Lions to double-digit wins.

Also coached in Comanche, Okemah and Midwest City. He was a fan of the Sooners and Oklahoma City Thunder.