Mary Lois Jones, 99, passed away at her home on Saturday, January 14, 2023, with her daughters by her side. She was born on August 12, 1923, to pioneers Cliff and Willie McGee Orr near Lebanon, Okla. Both parents were born in Pickens District, Chickasaw Nation, now Marshall County in 1889 and 1892. Her beloved grandparents were John and MaryHamiltonOrr,whocametothisarea in the 1870’s from Texas after leaving Mississippi following the Civil War.
Maternal grandparents were Alexander, born in 1864, near McGee Creek near Atoka in the Choctaw Nation and Margaret Culp McGee, born in Sedalia, Mo. Alexander came here as a child as did Margaret. Mary’s grandfather McGee and her mother, Willie McGee Orr, were original enrollees of the Chickasaw Nation. Mary was always proud of her Chickasaw heritage.
Mary was the youngest child of seven and the only girl. Her brothers were Calvin, Paul, Holmes, Clyde, Maurice (Buddy) and Melvin who all preceded her in death. She attended the Lebanon School then Madill Schools, graduating in 1942. As there were no school buses for the Lebanon area, her dad, a cattleman, had cattle trucks. He converted one into transportation as a bus. Mary’s brother, Buddy, a Madill student, was the bus driver transporting Powell and Lebanon students to Madill. After graduating from Madill, she attended Southeastern State College in Durant, Okla.
She married Staff Sgt. Olen Ray Porter from Enville, Okla. He was killed in WWII on Leyte Island, The Philippines, December 7, 1944. He saw their daughter, Mary Jane, once.
Mary Lois later married B. A. Buddy Shilling, whom she had known all her life. They had a daughter, Martha Ann Shilling, who died March 8, 1972. Their other daughters are Carol Sue Shilling and Nancy Jean Shilling. In 1980, Mary married W. E. Pedo Jones. She joined him at Jones Farm. They enjoyed Madill Roundup Club and riding in parades. Pedo died in 1990.
Mary was very active in the First United Methodist Church in Madill, helping with the . rst Methodist Bazaar 60 years ago. She received her 50-year pin from Eastern Star and was past Worthy Matron. Mary was a long-time memberoftheMadillDaughter’sClubandisstillamember of the Madill Rose Garden Club. She and two friends organized Ohoyohoma Indian Women's Club in 1992. Mary was chairperson of Daffodil Days for the Marshall County American Cancer Society , treasurer and delivery person for the Meals on Wheels Program, board member of the Retired Senior Volunteer program for Love and Marshall Counties, member of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Club, former secretary of the Chickasaw Nation Senior Citizens advisory committee, a volunteer with the Marshall County Department of Human Services Santa’s Volunteers, Mental Health of Southern Oklahoma, and active in AARP. She even won some medals at the Chickasaw Senior Olympics.
In 1993, Mary received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Marshall County Mental Health Services of Southern Oklahoma. She was honored as Outstanding OlderOklahomanfortheSouthernOklahomaDevelopment Association Area Agency on Aging. It was presented at the Oklahoma Aging Conference in Oklahoma City. In 1996, MarywashonoredforvolunteerismattheNationalCouncil on Rural Aging presented in Washington, D. C. She was the only person in the nation receiving this award. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was principal speaker at the conference.
Mary Lois is survived by her daughters, Mary Jane Lowery, Sue Shilling, Nancy Shilling; like a daughter, Kimberly Bayliffe; nephew Joe Orr; nieces, Juanita Clement and Fran Gambel; and several great nephews and great nieces.
Visitation will be Thursday, January 19, 2023, at the Watts Funeral Home in Madill, Okla. from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a family hour from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Funeral service will be Friday, January 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the Watts Memorial Chapel in Madill, Okla. Mike Mans. eld will of. ciate the service. Interment will be at the Lebanon Cemetery in Lebanon, Okla. Services will be under the direction of Watts Funeral Home in Madill, Okla. Condolences may be sent to wattsfuneralhome.com.
Casket Bearers will be Sonja Ray, Jamie Williford, DeLita Mullings, Charlene Hastings and Angela Jones.
Honorary Bearers are the Madill Garden Club and members of the Chickasaw Nation.
Memorial may be made to the First United Methodist Church, PO Box 496, Madill, Ok 73446 or Lebanon Cemetery, PO Box 202, Lebanon Ok 73440.