Eric Pole Morton Jr., known to many as Captain, EP, or most famously, Hollywood, passed away November 28, 2025, at the age of 85. He was born June 16, 1940, in Whitebead, Oklahoma, in Garvin County. He was raised in Maysville, where deep roots of faith, family and hard work shaped the man he became.
Eric accepted Christ as his Savior at a young age, a commitment that guided every season of his life. His Bible was never far from reach, and his steady and quiet faith left a lifelong imprint on his children and grandchildren.
Eric was preceded in death by his father, Eric P. Morton Sr.; his mother, Allene Morton; his father-inlaw, Bill Trayler; his mother-in-law, Mildred Trayler; his beloved great grandson, Josiah “Tripp” Cauthen; and his beloved great-granddaughter, Eleanor Wren.
On September 26, 1959, at the First Methodist Church in Perryton, Texas, Eric married the love of his life, Roxana Lucille Trayler. He was nineteen years old and she was seventeen years old. They shared 66 years of marriage marked by devotion, perseverance and an unbreakable bond. Eric adored his wife and faithfully sent her yellow roses. For many years he sent eleven roses to her workplace and told her to look in the mirror for the twelfth. It was his quiet way of reminding her that she was the center of his world.
Eric worked for Wilson Foods for 36 years, where he ran the employees’ market with dedication, integrity and strong leadership. When the company changed hands to AC Humko, he transitioned to the oil refinery and ran it with the same steady hand, work ethic and reliability that people had trusted for decades. He also ran cattle on his home place for more than 20 years, spending countless hours tending the land and livestock he loved. That work brought him peace, purpose and fulfillment throughout his life.
As a young man, Eric raised and showed pigs and excelled in athletics, especially football and basketball. He passed that same discipline and drive on to his children. He loved sports, especially when his boys were playing, and he rarely missed their games. Eric coached his sons when they were young, and even when he was not coaching, he was always there steady, present, proud and calling plays from the sidelines. He loved taking his daughter shopping, taking her to the cattle sale and having her help him work on his cars. He also loved to tease Roxana by saying he was going to “call Meschelle and tell on her,” a joke he repeated for years and one the family still laughs about. Those everyday moments with his children were some of his greatest joys.
Eric shared a close and lifelong bond with his older sister Catherine and her husband, Doyle McEntire; his younger sister Meda and her husband, Jerry Combs; and his brother-in-law, Richard Trayler, and his wife, Eddie Trayler. He believed in giving his family a life filled with good food, meaningful memories and vacations they would treasure for years. His family was his pride, his joy and his purpose.
One of Eric’s proudest accomplishments was training his horse, Lucky Parr, who became an Alaskan State Champion roping horse. It remained one of the achievements he cherished most.
Stories about Eric filled every family gathering. Whether people knew him as Captain, EP, or Hollywood, they remembered him. Tales involving his dog, Petey, and their adventures to the park, including encounters with a goose, a hawk and a snake, were retold for years with laughter. A favorite story was the day a man attempted to make a citizen’s arrest on Eric. It did not end well for the other man, and the story quickly became a Morton family classic. For all his toughness, Eric was equally known for his tender heart, his loyalty and the way he quietly stood beside the people he loved.
He enjoyed fast cars, studying stocks, working his cattle and spending time outdoors. He was sharp-minded and observant, always thinking ahead. He found joy in simple things such as a good day of work, a loyal dog, a strong cup of coffee and the sound of his family’s laughter.
Eric is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Roxana Morton, and by their children: Trent M. Morton and his wife, Sheri L. Morton; Marcia “Meschelle” Williams and her husband, Robert C. Williams IV; and Robert E. Morton and his wife, Rena J. Morton. He is also survived by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Tyler M. Morton and his wife, Abi Morton; Owen Q. Morton and his wife, Justina Morton; Amanda C. Williams; Dr. Robert “Tray” Williams and his wife, Whitney A. Williams, and their children, Norah E. Williams, Charis A. Williams and Rhyan K. Williams; Marti L. Cauthen and her husband, Samuel J. Cauthen, and their children Samuel “Cruz” Cauthen, Declan C. Cauthen and Harper-Clae Cauthen, Austin M. Morton, and William E. Morton and his fiancée, Caroline Muller. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and extended family members whom he loved deeply.
Whether you knew him as Captain, EP, or Hollywood, you knew a man of loyalty, humor, strength and unwavering faith. His legacy lives on in his family, in the stories that will be told for generations and in the love he gave so freely.
Funeral Services were Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Winans Funeral Home Chapel in Maysville, Oklahoma. Burial followed at Antioch Cemetery under the direction of John W. Williams of Winans Funeral Home. Words of comfort may be sent to the family at winansfuneralhome.com.
