Tony Bickel Obituary

Tony Russell Bickel, 83, Rogersville, MO, passed away Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Cox South Medical Center, Springfield, MO.
He was born February 10, 1942 in Tyler, Texas, the son of the late Logan "L.W." and Mary (Williams) Bickel.
Tony enjoyed his high school years and especially enjoyed playing French horn and coronet in the Muskogee, OK, Band. He was active in Boy Scouts of America and enjoyed his camping days at Scout Camp Fred Darby. In fact, Tony and his brother Don went back to the camp a number of years ago and walked all around. After graduating from Muskogee, Tony was attending OSU in Stillwater, OK, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in Korea and Vietnam.
He was one of the founders and a long-standing member of the Central States VHF Radio Club. In his work he traveled extensively, including Canada, Alaska, and the Panama Canal. He started a TV station in Grove, OK, which had become a popular retirement area. His purpose for starting the station was especially to inspire and bring more enthusiasm to the youth of the area, including science fairs and marching band coverage. Tony was affectionately called "TV Tony" by the Grove area youth. Later, he read about and was impressed with a professor who was offering a challenging course. He signed up for this course and discovered that he and another 'senior' student were competing against much younger students. In the end, Tony completed the course with top honors and received a comment from the professor, "Spot On", which meant a lot to him.
Tony Bickel and Carol Stribley met while they were both living in Grove, OK. They dated a few years before deciding to get married. They were married in Ozark, Christian County, MO, on April 12, 2003, at the United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife Carol and her daughter, Susan Bagley and husband Kenny of Waterloo, IA; his brother, Don Bickel and wife Linda of Sallisaw, OK, a niece, Sara Reyna, cousins: Drenda Kudlac, John David Schroeder, Dan Schroeder, Bob Schroeder, Barbara Cunningham, and Bill Norris; a granddaughter, Dr. Larissa Bagley and husband Nick Wu, of Ames, IA; a brother-in-law, Bob Stribley of Laurens, SC, and a niece-in- law, Angie Combs and husband David.
A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 24, 2025 with funeral services following at 12:00 p.m. at J.D. Lee and Sons Funeral Home, Rogersville, Missouri. Burial, with full military honors, will follow at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Springfield, Missouri.
Tony would like memorial donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105. No minimum.
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