Funeral services for Les Horner will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. at the the Southern Hills Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

© Horner Family

TULSA, OK–MAY 2, 2022–Funeral services are set Friday (May 6) for longtime Tulsa businessman and Oklahoma horseman Lester E. "Les" Horner, 83. He died peacefully and went to Jesus Saturday (Apr. 30).

Services will begin at 2 p.m. (CDT) at the Southern Hills Baptist Church, 5590 S. Lewis Avenue, Tulsa, OK. Viewing will be from 12:30 to 2:00.

Les was born in Tulsa on December 27, 1938, to Elsie A Smith Horner and Andrew J. Horner.

He and his childhood sweetheart, Leah, grew up in Turley, OK. She adored him even as a bashful six-year-old when they played house together and created a home when they married at 16 and 17 years old on June 5, 1956, at the Turley Methodist Church.

In his teenage years, Les played a three-neck steel guitar in his western band "The Sooner Swing Band." Monday nights, the Sooner Swing Band swooned the evening crowd with their TV Show on Channel 23.

Les started his carrier as a package boy at B&W Thrif-T-Wise in Tulsa before becoming the Executive National Grocery Supervisor for Gulf Mart Stores working out of San Antonio, TX.

After leaving Gulf Mart in 1970, Les became a distinguished entrepreneur with an eighth-grade education and opened Food City Red Bud, 4404 South Peoria, in 1971. He continued a successful path developing Horner Foods.

He built six Price Mart stores, nine Horner Apple Markets across Oklahoma, and a warehouse at 129th & the Broken Arrow expressway.

At the age of 15, Les dreamed of having a chain of grocery stores, and His vision was always more important than his fear of failure. He was known for his enormous generosity and integrity. He believed all you carried with you through life was your reputation.

Les served on the Board of Associated Wholesale Grocers, Kansas City, Century National Bank. Oklahoma Baptist University, Gatesway Advisory Board, and was a Deacon at Southern Hills Baptist Church.

The book "Movers and Shakers" was published In 1997. In the book, Les was named one of Tulsa's amazing Movers & Shakers who Dared to Believe and Stepped Into A Place Where Dreams Were Realized.

Post writing under Les article. "If you've ever seen Les Horner doing a television advertisement for Price Mart, you saw a distinguished man, however not as distinguished as the man who sat before me during our interview. Mere television doesn't do him justice at all. In my opinion, he radiated success in a humble, clearly defined, simple way: he was just "Himself." I don't know what God has prepared for him in the future, but I can assure you that you haven't heard the last of Les Horner."

Instrumental Christian music filled the air of our grocery stores, and Les said, "he knew God was leading him through all his years and wanted to leave something behind that really matters: Loving God because he gave us our savior Jesus."

He retired on April 1, 1999, selling the six Price Mart Stores to Reasors and the nine Apple Markets to Homeland.

"It's a very challenging, competitive business," Les told the Tulsa World in an article published by the newspaper in 1999. "People like me really love that challenge. It's exciting and gives you a reason to get up in the morning.

"But like all race horses, you can't keep the pace forever. It's too grueling. It's time for another type of life," he added.

Les loved the ranching life he lived for 14 years in Pryor, OK, watching 250 head of cattle and 42 quarter horses as they roamed his 285 acres.

It was here that Les and Leah's children Donnie and Terri met and married their spouses.

Les was incredibly generous with Leah when he provided her with a riding lawn mower with headlights so she could mow at night.

Les bred and owned some of the leading quarter horse mares in the industry, selling their offspring in Ruidoso, New Mexico, where he and Leah had a summer home and entertained over 850 guests over 40 years.

According to the American Quarter Horse Association, in his own name, Les bred 110 foals, of which 86 were starters that earned more than $850,000. He bred 43 winners, including five stakes winners led by the Tinys Gay mare Tinys Rose Bud ($238,430).

Les claimed Tinys Rose Bud's dam, Running Rose, off Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lucas in California in 1977.  

Offspring from the daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters of Runnin Rose have produced such Quarter Horse runners as champion Tinys First Effort, Grade 1 winners Strawflyin Buds, Grade 1 winner Tiny First Down, Grade 1 winner Ima Chickie Two, Grade 1 winner Terrific Energy, as well as stakes horses Tiny Dash Of Cash, Sizzling, Dash Of Perry, Political Rose, to name only a few.

Les was also a partner in leading sires Desirio, Dean Miracle and La Jollaroid as well as owning shares in several the industry's leading sires. He also owned the dam of AQHA Racing Champion American Runaway.

With all Les' accomplishments, none were more precious to him than his family and friends. He was the Butler and LTK (Lester the toe kisser) to friends, Mr. H to his sister-in-law, and Papa to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who he adored, and precious husband to Leah for 66 years.

We will miss him beyond words, but when we saw and heard him say, "I see the light, I see Jesus," with hands held high in adoration, he said, "LET'S GO, LET'S GO, LET'S ROLL," and so he did.

Les leaves behind his wife of 66 years, Leah, one sister, Judy Cochrum of Morris, OK., two children, Donnie Horner, wife Sonia, Houston, TX. and Terri Willcut, husband Rick, Bixby.

Six grandchildren. Andrea Horner Villella, husband Nick, Teana Horner, Dalton Horner, wife MaKayla, Stephanie Waggoner, husband Burt, Amber Willcut Davis, husband Jason, and Alicia Willcut Shannon, husband Jeremy.

Eleven great-grandchildren, Kenny, Samantha and Emma Waggoner, Dylan, and Caden Davis, Tucker and Addison Shannon, Michael, Adelai and Aiden Villella and Deacon Horner.

Funeral services are under the direction of Schaudts Funeral Home in Glenpool, Oklahoma.  For additinal information visit their website.