Paul S. “JR” Woolfolk, Jr.

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Paul S. Woolfolk, Jr. (“JR”), age 81, passed away on Sunday, December 14, 2025 at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. He was born on Sept. 8, 1944 in Syracuse to Paul and Fannie (Singleton) Woolfolk who lived southwest of Tribune. JR was baptized in Sheridan Lake, Colo. in 1960. He graduated from Greeley County High School in May 1962. After high school, he had various jobs in agriculture around Tribune; Arapahoe, Colo.; and Clovis, New Mexico. He also began a college degree at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla. 

JR was married to Wynelda Ingels in Guymon, Okla., on January 23, 1965. He was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1969 and served as a combat medic in the 27th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam from July 1969 to January 1971. During his service, he received two bronze service stars related to the Republic of Vietnam Campaign. 

In 1974, JR and Wynelda had a son (February), and JR finished his B.S. degree (May) in Business Administration from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. In July 1980, JR and Wynelda were divorced. In October 1981, JR married Carol Lake in Guymon, Okla., where they resided and helped raise her three sons, Jeff, Greg, and Mark Odell. JR was very passionate about agriculture and especially farm equipment. He began his career in ag equipment at Spur Equipment in Guymon, Okla. He spent over 40 years in ag equipment sales and dealership management across four states, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. He was well known by dealers and growers in the Southern Plains for finding the right equipment to meet growers’ needs and loved to “make a deal.” He sold and supported brands including International, Versatile, CaseIH, John Deere, New Holland, Flex-King, Great Plains, and many other allied brands. JR and Carol moved to Tribune in 1993, where JR worked remotely for various equipment dealerships and enjoyed working on vehicles and equipment at his building in Towner, Colo. Due to declining health, JR has been a resident of the Kansas Soldiers’ Home in Ft. Dodge for the past 7 years.

JR’s survivors include his wife, Carol Woolfolk of Belton, Texas; his son, Curt Woolfolk and wife Sharla of Plymouth, Minn.; his step-sons, Jeff and Paige Odell of Belton, Texas; Greg Odell of Frisco, Texas; and Mark and Tina Odell of Blanchard, Okla., one sister, Maylene Harder and husband Loren of Amarillo, Texas; one brother, Carl Woolfolk of Farmington, New Mexico, and granddaughters, Ava Woolfolk of Plymouth, Minn., Abby and Chris Johnson of Dallas, Texas; Hannah Odell of Boston, Mass.; Emma Odell of Blanchard, Okla., Ava Odell of Blanchard, Oklahoma, Kayli Odell Mathew of Mustang, Oklahoma, Lauren Odell Williams of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Grace Odell of Los Angeles, Calif.;  and grandsons Blake Odell of Temple, Texas, Tyler Odell of Blanchard, Okla. Cody Odell of Moore, Okla., Jack Odell of Chattanooga, Tenn.; Liam Odell of Frisco, Texas, and several great grandchildren.

JR is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Fannie Woolfolk, and brother Loyce Woolfolk.

Funeral Services were held at 2:00 p.m., on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the First Baptist Church (413 Harper St.) in Tribune, with Pastor Shanon Schneider presiding. Interment followed at the Greeley County Cemetery.

Public visitation was held at the First Baptist Church, Kansas, 413 Harper St., Tribune, Kansas, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lupus Research Alliance (https://www.lupusresearch.org) or Gary Sinise Foundation (htps://www.GarySiniseFoundation.org) are encouraged in honor of JR.

OBITUARIES

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Thelma I. Carlson

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SPORTS

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NEWS

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Director of Nursing Janie Schmidt honored

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OPINIONS

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