Jerry Richard Rhoton

Jerry Richard Rhoton left earth for his heavenly home on July 8, 2020. He was born to Richard Gus Rhoton and Pearl Hawthorne Rhoton on July 21, 1938 at Children’s Hospital in Holdenville, Oklahoma.
The family moved from Holdenville to Norman, Oklahoma in 1952, where he attended elementary, junior high and high school, graduating from Norman High School in 1957. He later continued his education and earned an Associate Degree in Electronics from Oklahoma City University in 1961. He went to work for General Electric X-ray installing equipment in doctors offices and hospitals in Oklahoma and Arkansas. He also worked in the fishing industry for Okiebug in Tulsa, Oklahoma; sold insurance; helped with the design, manufacture and marketing of the Li’l Tubby (this gave him the nickname of “Tubby”) fishing lure made up of a hard plastic body with interchangeable tails (5 different models) with Storm Lures in Norman, Oklahoma. He fished the B.A.S.S. circuit in the mid-70’s and in the mid-80’s. He also worked for Jimmy Houston’s Marine Dealership in Cookson and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma until he retired.
He loved to fish and hunt. In his early years, one of his best hunting buddies was Larry Coffey who stayed in touch with him throughout the years. Jimmy and Chris Houston were more like family than friends and were some of his favorite fishing and hunting partners. He spent many weekends in their home in Cookson.
Jerry was a member of Trinity Baptist Church, Norman, Oklahoma since 1952, except for 6 years when the family lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Gus and Pearl and his sister-in-law, Karen.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 62 years, Peggy, of the home; son, Rick (Natasha) of Norman; daughter, Shelley of Branson, Missouri; son, Trent of Bloomingdale, NJ; 4 grandchildren, Jonathan (Brooke) of Monte Vista, Colorado; Jande of Branson, Missouri; Joe of Clermont, Florida; and Phillip of Norman, Oklahoma; 3 great grandchildren, Christian of Branson, Missouri; Angel of Clermont, Florida and Olivia of Monte Vista, Colorado; sister, Donia of Wewoka, Oklahoma and niece, Shari of Moore, Oklahoma; sister-in-law, Marsa of Norman, Oklahoma; brother-in-law, Todd in Amherst, Wisconsin; nephew, Mark of Eugene, Oregon; niece, Kristi and family of Lake Oswego, Oregon; niece, Landon and family of Portage, Michigan and nephew, Jacob of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; many cousins and friends.
Good Shepherd Hospice helped Peggy care for Jerry in the last few weeks of his life and we would like to thank them for their compassion. They did a wonderful job.

***Article on Jerry Rhoton from "The Oklahoman" below***

Jerry Rhoton, of Norman, the man who created the Li'l Tubby fishing lure, died Wednesday. He was 81.

The Li'l Tubby was a smash when it first hit the market in the mid-'70s. The Oklahoman's outdoor writer in 1975, Glenn Titus, described the L'il Tubby as a "two-inch long, half-ounce, wobbling crank-bait with a fish-calling rattle and a quivering, squirming, twister tail."

The headline on the '75 story read "Li'l Tubbys Come in 36 Flavors and Fish Love 'Em."

What was unique about Li'l Tubbys was the assortment of tails that could be attached to the bait. The lure originally came in six different colors. With the different assortment of tails, anglers could have 36 different combinations.

Storm Manufacturing Company near Norman, where Rhoton worked for four years, made and sold the lure.

"Everybody called him Tubby after he built that bait," said Jimmy Houston, who was friends with Rhoton for more than 50 years after meeting him at a bass tournament. "It was an incredibly great bait. We just smoked 'em on it. It was like a Wiggle Wart with a tail pretty much."

Storm later produced variations of the lure such as Deep Diving Tubby, Tiny Tubby and a spinnerbait manufactured under the Tubby name. A memorial service for Rhoton is planned for the fall, said Rhoton's wife, Peggy.

Storm eventually was bought by the company which produces the Rapala brand of lures. Li'l Tubbys were discontinued, but the lures are still bought and sold on eBay.


"I would like to see us bring that lure back," Houston said. "Jerry was a really, really good friend, a good Oklahoma bass fisherman and a pioneer definitely in this game for sure."

article can be found at: https://oklahoman.com/article/5666581/jerry-rhoton-of-norman-the-man-who-created-the-lil-tubby-lure-dies-at-age-81/