Pike Word Jr. was born on November 5, 1949, to Lucille Stroebel Word and Pike Word Sr. in Elk City, Oklahoma. He passed peacefully at the age of 75 on July 5, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, with his wife, Shelley, and special friend, Larry Klutz, by his side.

 

He was born and raised in Elk City, Oklahoma, and spent countless hours at Word Radiator Shop during his childhood. His grandparents lived next door to the shop, and Pike loved to share stories of growing up there. He graduated from Elk City High School in 1967.

 

Pike spent most of his career in the oil and gas industry, working in the well logging sector. He began as a logging technician, a role that took him across Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and even offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. He worked for Petroleum Well Logging before joining three friends who started Universal Well Logging in 1973. It was there in 1974 that he met the office manager, Shelley Balman. They were married on December 12, 1977, in Sayre, Oklahoma.

 

Pike worked his way up through the industry, eventually owning and operating his own business—Word Well Logging—in Tyler, Texas, and Perkins, Oklahoma.

 

He retired in February 2015. Pike enjoyed watching NASCAR and loved good food. He had an incredible memory for restaurants—often recalling, years later, exactly what they ate and the name of the restaurants during vacations. He loved sharing stories about his youth in Elk City and his adventures in the oilfield.

 

Pike is survived by his wife, Shelley, of Edmond, Oklahoma; his grandson, Trey Word of Conroe, Texas; and his adopted granddaughter, Emma Moorman of Claremore, Oklahoma. He is also survived by nephews Wayne Woltman of Ada, Oklahoma, and Casey Froese of Stillwater, Oklahoma; niece Cari Fischer and her husband, Danny, of Stillwater; sister-in-law Barbara Froese of Stillwater; five great-nieces and nephews; Aunt Teresa Word of Elk City and his beloved cousins, with whom he remained close throughout his life.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Pike Word III; his brother, John Word; his sister, LaDonna Denslow; and his nephew, Michael Woltman.

 

Pike’s service will be in Elk City Oklahoma at 11:30 on Saturday July 19th at the Fairlawn Cemetery Chapel, located at 1607 N Washington Avenue.

  

Please share a memory of Pike at the service.  He loved telling stories of growing up in Elk City and the oilfield.