Donald Steven Surrell

Donald Steven Surrell, Sr., Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Truck Driver, Guitar Player, and fondly known as our “Rock 'n Roll Gypsy Soul,” died peacefully at home with his wife and family surrounding him on Tuesday, September 20, 2022.

Steve was born on Wednesday, December 3, 1952, at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa Oklahoma. He started throwing rocks and being mischievous the moment his bare feet touched dirt, his parents, Jack Albert and Edith Marie (McDaniels) Surrell began pulling their hair out as they watched him live life with abandon on the Westside of Tulsa where he attended Park and Jane Addams Elementary, Clinton Junior High, and eventually graduated on time from Webster High School in 1971. Steve wanted to learn to play the guitar. His dad told him if he learned the chords on his guitar, he would buy Steve his own guitar. He did and his dad bought Steve's first guitar.

During his teen years he sang and played guitar with friends in several bands. One was named “Lensatic Compass." When he lived in California, he sang and played his guitar at Sierra D10 to bring the girls in for cousins.

He would travel with his Uncle Benny and cousin David to Old Mexico to buy curios and pottery. Steve and David would set up and sell at the flea markets. Steve would play his guitar and also perform close-up magic tricks in clubs around Tulsa. This is where he met Tom Inman and became interested in the truck driving field.

He knew he wanted to travel and see all the great States of America could offer so he became an extraordinary driver of trucks and also worked as dispatcher. He was known as "Doc". He worked for H & B Trucking, Tom Inman, HR Hill, Roadrunner Trucking, Passmore, Powell, Miller Trucking lines. He worked for Testerman and Briscoe harvesting for farmers. He would load the cotton seed hulls, peanuts, and other crops and deliver them to Oklahoma City.

Since he could live anywhere, he chose to live out in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma, where he and his wife bought their five acres of heaven near Elmer Oklahoma, which has grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple of decades to a population of 92. Steve was a member of Hess Baptist Church.


Steve is survived by his everything, his best friend, his loving wife of 37 years, Eudora (Hobbs) Surrell; their daughter Autumn Marie and her husband Simiao Cowen; his sons, Donald Steven Surrell, Jr., Michael Paul Surrell, Duke Cody Surrell, and Corydon Dillon Surrell and his wife, Ashley; the jewels of his heart, his grandchildren, Rebekah Michelle, Skyla Kay, Wyatt Augustus, Estellafaye Edith, Lacey Marie, Ava Raelynn, Jocelyn Alison Paige, and Kennedy Grace; his younger sister, Donna Sue and her husband, Michael Atchley; and since he was a typical Oklahoman, he leaves behind aunts, uncles, and a multitude of cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends scattered all over the US.

A time for celebration of Steve's life will be held 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM on October 1, 2022 (come and go) at the Kincannon Funeral Home, 3020 North Main, Altus, Oklahoma. Online tributes may be made at kincannonfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Kincannon Funeral Home in Steven's name.