Otis Tushka, 88, born Sept. 18, 1937, of the Big Y Community, formerly of Broken Bow, Okla., passed away peacefully the morning of Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026 at Tsali Care Center. He was 4/4 Choctaw, and fluent in Choctaw.
He graduated from Goodland High School in Oklahoma. He is a veteran of the US Army. He began his military service October 20, 1958 at Ft. Carson, Colo. After infantry trainings at Ft. Knox, Ky., he rotated to Heilbronn, Germany, from there the unit 11th Armored Calvary rotated to Xuan-Lock, Vietnam where Tushka served a 2-year service. Otis Tushka received his honorable discharge from the US Army as a Staff Sergeant at Ft. Lewis Washington, after serving years. He is also a recipient of several military awards, such as two Purple Hearts, the 1st and 2nd Awards of Good Conduct, Commendation Medal, American Air Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign and service medals and Combat Infantry Badge from campaigns in Vietnam.
He worked for the program, Ceta in 1977, from there he went to Cherokee Police Department, then the Cherokee Indian Hospital. After he retired after 25 years of service.
He is preceded in death by his parents Benson Tushka and Sweezie Jones Tushka; brothers, Barrentine and Benny Tushka; sister, Elencie Tushka Jessie of Oklahoma; stepson, C. David Thompson; and step-grandson, Andrew Aguilera.
He is survived by his son, William Tushka; daughter, Mary Tushka Wood (Ron) of Kentucky; step daughter, Linda Kemp; sister, Lweezie Kalonaheskie of Cherokee; grandkids, Tamara, Sarah, Tori Thompson, Bubba Aguilera, Alannah, Kevonna, Nashoba, Trajan, Krista, Nevaeh Tushka, Edward Wood III; along with 13 great grandchildren as well with family in Oklahoma, Texas, and Montana.
He will be buried in the Thompson Family Cemetery on Booger Branch/Thompson Family Cemetery Road.
Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at Crisp Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 at the Funeral Home.