Dr. Mary Lois Hodges Jernigan

Dr. Mary Lois Hodges Jernigan, 89, passed on June 27, 2010 at her home in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Mary L. Jernigan was born in Ringling, Oklahoma on March 19, 1921. She attended a variety of schools throughout southern and central Oklahoma, including Seminole High School. She married her high school sweetheart Arthur Oliver Jernigan Jr. of Seminole, OK in 1941. The Jernigans spent over 20 years both overseas and across the United States with the U S Air Force. During this time she raised a family of three children, obtained her bachelors degree from the University of the Philippines and taught elementary school. As a second career, Mary returned to higher education, eventually obtaining a doctorate in 1969 from the University of Oklahoma in Early Childhood Education. Dr. Jernigan moved to a professorship at East Texas State University, now Texas A & M University – Commerce, from which she retired in 1986. Dr. Jernigan was a renaissance woman in the sense that she had been everything from a hat model in the 1950's to a college professor and during the process she traveled the world. Learning and encouraging everyone else to learn was her life passion. Her last life lesson would be that when she is buried, "let it be with my faults, weaknesses and prejudices. Give my sins to the devil and my soul to God. If by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I asked, I will live forever." Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Lt. Col. Arthur O. Jernigan Jr., her parents, Leo M. Hodges and Mary L. Vaughn Hodges and her sister Joyce Hodges Burpo. She is survived by her sisters, Sybil Hodges Nelson and Jerry Hodges Ross, her three children James A. Jernigan and his wife Linda L. Jernigan, Mary E. Jernigan Smith and her husband Gene Smith and John O. Jernigan and his wife Tracey K. Jernigan. Mary is survived by her three grandchildren Kim Jernigan Barto and her husband Alan Barto, Calvin “Jack” Hobson and his partner Ben Russell and Coleman Jernigan. She is also survived by two great grandchildren Alec Barto and the future Kyler Barto. Graveside services will be at the Little Community Cemetery, Seminole County, Oklahoma at 12 noon on June 29, 2010. In lieu of flowers, the Jernigan family requests that donations be made to the Dr. Mary L. Jernigan fund at the OU Foundation benefiting the University of Oklahoma, Jeanne Rainbolt College of Education. Donations may be made sent to: Dr. Mary L. Jernigan fund, OU Foundation: ICD is #31413, 820 Van Vleet Oval, room 100, Norman, OK 73019, 405-325-1266.

Dr. Mary Lois Hodges Jernigan

March 19, 1921 - June 27, 2010