History in Brief

In 2008, Lawton Police Department Master Officer Don Pestun spearheaded an effort with his colleagues to replace the small, flat stone marker of Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas’ grave with a larger memorial (pictured below).

Legendary Indian Territory lawman Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas died in 1912, and his remains were interred at Lawton’s Highland Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
Over a half-century later, in the 1970s, it was marked with a small flat stone, reported Ron Jackson in an article for thewildwest.org. In 2008, Lawton Police Department Master Officer Don Pestun spearheaded an effort, with the blessing of late Chief Ronnie Smith, for a fundraiser to replace the headstone.

The goal was $700, but within two days Pestun and his colleagues had raised $1,500, Jackson reported in his June 1, 2008, article. “On May 1 — nationally recognized as Law Day — the headstone was unveiled in a ceremony befitting a legend. A bugler played “Taps,” period-dressed actors gave speeches, and the Lawton Police Honor Guard gave a 21-gun salute.

“Thirteen of Thomas’ descendants also witnessed the historic occasion,” Jackson wrote.

Photo courtesy of http://blogoklahoma.us/place.aspx?id=679