Claude Brent Vanzant

A Celebration of Life service for Claude Brent Vanzant, 63, of Gaston, Ore., will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at the Akins Cemetery in Sallisaw. A luncheon will follow at the Central High Volunteer Fire Department from 3 to 5 p.m.

Brent was born Feb. 14, 1959, in Perry, Okla., the son of the late Claude Buel Vanzant and Neoma Ruth (Laubach) Vanzant. Brent died at his home in Gaston on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.

Brent relocated his family to Henderson, Nev., in 1989 and the family then moved to their current home in Gaston, Oregon in 1991, affectionately known as the “Vanzant Ranch.” Brent had worked as a Senior Estimator and Project Manager in the natural stone fabrication industry in Oregon for approximately 40 years. Brent loved the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and riding his ATV with his son and friends. Brent was an enthusiastic storyteller, a master barbecuer (who loved the local Wildhorse Mountain Barbecue‚s signature barbecue sauce), a caring neighbor, and always the life of the party. He enjoyed riding his tractor down the gravel road in the canyon where the family lives to check on and visit with all of their neighbors. He enjoyed the family‚s many pets: a cat (“Stevie”), two Black Labrador Retrievers (“Stormy” and “Bella”), and a beloved little pygmy goat (“Sol”).

Survivors include his wife, Renee (Shumate) Vanzant of the family home in Gaston; his children Amber Vanzant and Trent Vanzant of Gaston; his brother and sister-in-law Greg and Renate Vanzant of Stillwater; his two sisters-in-law and spouses, Annette Teague of Sallisaw and Janna and Alex Walkley of Battle Ground, Wash.; and his brother-in-law and spouse, Robert and Susie Shumate of Sallisaw. Also surviving are many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Brent was proceeded in death by his parents Claude and Neoma Vanzant of Sallisaw; and his in-laws, Robert and April Shumate of Sallisaw. He was very loved and will be missed.