Jimmy Donald Quetone

Jimmie Donald (Tucker) Quetone, the son of Fred and Laura Sixkiller Quetone, was born on June 10, 1931, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He departed this life on February 21, 2026, at his home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Jim spent his childhood in Claremore, Oklahoma with his parents and six siblings. The family moved to Tulsa during his junior high years where he attended school at Horace Mann and Central High School. Jim graduated in 1949 and captained his basketball team. He accepted a basketball scholarship at Northeastern State University where he was a four-year letterman, joined Sigma Tau Gamma-Zeta Chapter Fraternity in 1950, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1953. Jim was inducted into the Northeastern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. Just before graduation he met Reba Nell Oden, the love of his life, and they were married on November 13, 1953.

Jim began his teaching career at East Central in Tulsa. He and Reba welcomed their daughter, Kim, in September of 1954. Jim was drafted into the U.S. Army that fall and served in San Antonio, Texas until the summer of 1956 when their son, Tucker, was born in June. The family returned to Tulsa where Jim continued to teach business classes and coach basketball at East Central. Their third child, Andy, was born in August of 1961. Jim continued his own education, obtaining his Master of Teaching degree, Administrator’s Certificate, and Superintendent’s Certificate. During his time at East Central, Jim also worked as a counselor and assistant principal.

Jim and the family moved to Warner, Oklahoma in 1972 where Jim worked as a counselor, instructor, and basketball coach at Connors State College. He became the superintendent of Warner Public Schools in 1975, a position he held for eleven years. He also served as superintendent of Braggs Public Schools and Sequoyah High School. He finished his career as Director of Education for the Cherokee Nation from 1992 to 2000. Jim’s contributions in education have had a lasting influence on the lives of those he taught and worked with as well as in Indian Education in Oklahoma and his Cherokee and Kiowa Nations. He received the Jim Thorpe Sports Excellence Award in 2019. Jim was a strong, patient, and gentle husband, father, and grandfather. He was an avid golfer and spent much of his time volunteering in the community and through the Methodist Church. His kind wisdom and dry wit will be missed.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Reba, his siblings Fred, Jr., Lottie, Bill, Majel, Frances, and Jeannie, and his son-in-law, Ken Simpson. He is survived by his daughter, Kim Simpson, and her children Kerry Sandberg (Eric), Melissa Collett (Tony), and Tanner Simpson; his son, Tucker Quetone and wife Becky, and their children, Melanie Hensold (Jesse), Emily Khan (Shuja), Sina Ebersole (Mark), Alec

Quetone, Aubrey Quetone (Avery Filer), and Tal Quetone (Whitney Carroll); and their son Andy Quetone and his children Cody Quetone (Sara), Bronc Quetone, and Clancey Quetone; and 15 great grandchildren Wyatt and Sloane Sandberg, Jack and Harper Collett, Carson and Anora Hensold, Nas and Naima Khan, Emmie and Becker Ebersole, Chase, Ally, and Brooke Quetone, Baby Carroll Quetone, and Blaze Quetone. Many nieces, nephews, and other relatives survive him.

Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, Tahlequah on Friday, February 27th at 10:00 a.m. Visitation at Hart Funeral Home on Thursday, February 26th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.