Frank Howell Seay: key obituary facts
Is Frank Howell Seay dead? Yes. Frank Howell Seay died on November 1, 2026, at age 88.
Cause of death: Frank Howell Seay's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Frank Howell Seay known for?
He was an United States federal judge.
More about Frank Howell Seay
Born: 1 January 1938.
Place of birth: Shawnee.
Gender: male.
Occupation: lawyer, judge.
Education: University of Oklahoma.
Frank Howell Seay, an American jurist who served as a judge and chief judge of the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, died November 1, 2026, aged 88. Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1961 and a law degree from its College of Law in 1963.
Seay practiced law in Seminole from 1963 to 1966 and served during those years as Seminole County attorney. Appointed to the federal district court in 1979, he served on the bench through 2026. He was chief judge of the Eastern District of Oklahoma from 1980 to 1996, a 16-year period in which he led the court. Seay was the first Native American appointed to a federal bench in the United States. He learned of his Native American heritage after his appointment; his paternal grandfather was a full-blooded Native American. His judicial career spanned more than four decades, from his appointment in 1979 until his service ended in 2026.