Claude Robert Maurice Jochmans was born 20 June, 1944 in Algiers, Algeria, North Africa. He came to America through Ellis Island when he was five years old, and became a U.S. citizen at the age of thirteen. He lived with his family in St. Joseph, Michigan, where he grew up and graduated in 1962. Immediately, he joined the U.S. Air Force, serving four years as a strategic Air Command member and a Mid-Air Refueler over Vietnam. 
   After leaving the military, he came to Oklahoma and graduated from Spartan School of Aeronautics. Claude met his wife at the airport. They dated and were married for 53 years. He raised three children and two grandchildren. 
   After leaving the Air Force, he joined the Air National Guard. Using his pay from the Guard, he built a HATZ CB-1 biplane that went airborne in 1992 in Chelsea at Monarch Field. He flew all over Oklahoma for ten years.
   Claude was a religious man who had read the Bible front to back three times. He was always willing to help others in any way he could. When projects were completed for them, they would always say, “What do I owe you?”, and his answer, followed by a smile, was “You can’t afford me”. His final projects involved his love for restoring Model T cars and trucks. At the time of his death, he was building a Model T wrecker.
   Claude is survived by his wife Gloria Jochmans of Chelsea, OK, his son, Aaron Jochmans and wife Christina of Broken Arrow, son Eric Jochmans of Enid, daughter Rebekah Jochmans of Missouri, granddaughter Jessikah Jochmans Brooks and children Dominic and Willow Brooks of the home, and grandson Robert Jochmans and Raylene, Clara, and Elijah of Nowata. He had nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, and two brothers, one in Michigan and one in New York.
   He was preceded in death by both parents and grandson Tyler Jochmans.
   Claude was 79 years old and will be missed by all who knew him.