The Honorable Tom J. Dugger passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026, at Stillwater Medical Center, from advanced Parkinson’ Disease. Tom was grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Payne and Creek counties as State Senator from 2016 to 2024, succeeding retiring State Senator Dr. Jim Halligan. In the Senate he served as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee for Select Agencies, as Vice Chair of General Government, and he sat on committees for Education and for Agriculture and Wildlife. Among his legislative priorities were college affordability, adequate funding for all levels of education, and textbook tax exemptions. The State Chamber gave him a perfect score supporting economic growth, job creation, and business development. The State Regents for Higher Education presented him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2023. Tom graduated in accounting from OSU where he was a member of the honorary scholastic fraternities Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Alpha Psi. His early career was in Oklahoma City with Peat-Marwick and then he served as the audit and tax manager of Oklahoma Publishing Company. In 1979, Tom and Ann and young Jim moved to Stillwater where Tom was the financial advisor and accountant for Aufleger and Garrett. He established his own firm Dugger & Co in 1986 in Stillwater. He was a past board member of the Oklahoma Board of Accountancy and of the Oklahoma Society of CPAs. He served on the Advisory Board for the OSU School of Accounting and was recognized as an OSU Distinguished Accounting Alumnus in 2005. Tom received the Oklahoma Society of CPA’s Public Service Award in 2002. In 1995, after being nominated by the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, Tom was honored as the United States Small Business Advocate of the year. Tom also served two three-year elective terms on the Stillwater City Council and served as Vice Mayor of Stillwater. He served as a Regent for Northern Oklahoma College and was a past president of the Stillwater Community Foundation. Tom was a veteran of the Oklahoma National Guard and enjoyed his friends in the Stillwater American Legion. As an Eagle Scout, Tom was a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts. He is a past president of Stillwater Exchange Club, past treasurer and executive committee member of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce where he received the Chamber’s Distinguished Chairman’s Award. Tom graduated from the first Leadership Stillwater class and remained a member of the Leadership Stillwater Alumni. He served on the Board for the Stillwater Chapter of the American Red Cross and as an Ambassador for OSU Global. Tom is a member of First Christian Church in Stillwater and was a board member of the nonprofits Matthew 25:40 Mission and Turning Point Ranch (a therapeutic equine riding center for special-needs children). He enjoyed assisting the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with its activities, and he appreciated and enjoyed the Friday Morning Methodist Men’s Group.
Tom was born on November 10, 1948, and was a 1967 graduate of Nowata High School. Predeceasing Tom were his parents Jack and Estelle Dugger of Nowata. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Dr. Ann Yirsa Dugger, EdD (OSU) who, with Tom, hosted and mentored international students and provided scholarships for students in business and in education. Tom and Ann have one son, Jim, who resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife Dr Layla Dugger. Survivors also include Tom’s brother Charles (and Leigh Ann) Dugger from Grand Lake, Ok; sister-in-law Vera Yirsa from Grove, OK; special family friend Emily McMorries from Dallas, Tx; aunt Nora Moon (Georgia); uncle Verlin Rachels (Meansville, GA); and nieces Stephanie Pursa (Olathe, Ks), Alison Atyla (Gunter, Tx), Cynthia Bivens (Newcastle, OK), Beth Matlock (Broken Arrow, OK), Katey Norris (Rogers, AR), and Ginna Hensley (San Diego, CA).
En lieu of flowers, Tom would be grateful for gifts to the Tom J. and H. Ann Dugger Endowed Scholarship at The OSU Foundation, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 740761749, or give electronically to osugiving.com in memory of Tom Dugger. åTom’s Celebration of Life will be Friday, October 9, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Stillwater’s First Christian Church, 411 W. Matthews Ave. Officiating will be The Rev Sondra Ladd, and speaking on behalf of friends and family will be the Duggers’ long-time friend Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Dustin Rowe. Visitation and refreshments at the church will follow the service.
