To Right A Wrong Made in 2014

In the summer of 2014 I put out a plea to purchase a granite memorial for the two Healdton, Oklahoma police officers who died in the line of duty. Thanks to 14 friends who came forward we were able to raise the $500 in record time. The memorial stands today in front of the Healdton Museum.

Officer James “Jim” Hutchison (d. 1930) and Officer Doug Durington (d. 1985)

James “Jim” Hutchison on Find-A-Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128128185/james-henry-hutchison

Doug Durington on Find-A-Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46479015/lowery-douglas-durington

In October 2014 just as I was about to place the order with Wilson Monuments in Lone Grove I received a phone call from a lady who lives in Healdton. She was against putting Doug Durington’s name on the memorial. She said if I did, I would be opening up a can of worms. Not being from Healdton and not knowing the small town politics there, I caved, and left his name off leaving only Jim Hutchison’s name to be sandblasted on the granite.

I have regretted my decision to leave Doug’s name off every day since.

I’m asking my Oklahoma History newsletter readers and my Facebook friends to make a pledge to have Durington’s name sandblasted on the memorial. I have already talked to B&M Monuments in Lone Grove and she said they can get Durington’s named sandblasted on for $300. I’m asking for only a pledge at this time, and as soon as enough money is pleged to place the order, I will call for those pledges through a GoFundMe website. I will list the donor’s names (even annonymously if requested) on this webpage on my Oklahoma History website.

Butch Bridges 580-490-6823
butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
https://www.facebook.com/butchbridges

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Pledges:

$20 Butch and Jill Bridges – Lone Grove, OK
$25 Kevin & Sandy Warren – Dickson, OK
$25 Richard and Mary Craven – Tishomingo, OK

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updated 6/08/25
online 6/02/25