Paul A. Peterman

Paul Albert Peterman, lovingly known as Papa, was born on July 25, 1944, in Ames, Oklahoma, to Ira Ery and Geraldine Chanda Peterman. Paul was the youngest of his three siblings, Betty Jo Fleer, Karen Bea Mack, and Clarence “Buzz” Peterman. He passed away on August 28, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of love, faith, service, and memories that will be cherished by his family and all who knew him.

While attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Paul met the love of his life, Kaye O’Dell. The two married on January 6, 1967, and that same year they both proudly graduated as pharmacists. Their marriage was the beginning of a partnership that would last a lifetime.

Soon after graduation, Paul was drafted into the United States Army and moved with Kaye to Fort Polk, Louisiana. His commitment to serving others continued throughout his life. After his military service, Paul built a career in pharmacy and eventually owned and operated Peterman’s Drive-Thru Pharmacy in Chillicothe, where he served generations of families. For Paul, pharmacy was more than a profession—it was another way to care for people and be a part of the community.

Paul was a man of deep faith. His relationship with God was an important foundation of his life, and he sought to live his faith through the way he loved and served others. He was also dedicated to his community and contributed to the Crane Christian Church community building, leaving behind a tangible reminder of his desire to help create a place where people could gather, worship, and share life together.

But perhaps the greatest expression of Paul’s love was found in his family.

He was a devoted husband to Kaye and a loving father to his daughters, Stephanie Dasal and her husband, Scott, and Ashley Austin. He was the kind of dad who could fix things, build things, teach things, and—most importantly—always be there. His daughters knew they could count on him.

Paul had a remarkable gift for woodworking. Hours spent in his shop were some of his happiest times. He could take a piece of wood and turn it into something meaningful, useful, and beautiful. If you could imagine it, Papa could often build it. From dollhouses to school desks for his daughters, he poured his time, talent, and love into the things he made.

Those creations were never simply objects. They were expressions of love.

And then came the grandchildren, who brought another special kind of joy into Papa’s life. He was a proud grandfather to Creighton Cloyd, Jay Dasal, Alexandria Austin, and Emerick Austin, and a great-grandfather to Skyler and Thea Cloyd. Being Papa was one of the greatest joys of his life.

Paul will be remembered for his strong faith, his hardworking spirit, his generosity, his craftsmanship, his service to others, and his unwavering love for his family. He lived a life that was not measured simply by accomplishments, but by the people he touched and the love he gave.

To his family, he was Dad.

To his grandchildren, he was Papa.

To his community, he was a pharmacist, neighbor, friend, and servant.

And to those who knew him best, he was a man who quietly showed what it means to live a life of faith, love, hard work, and devotion.