Madeline Ellen Schooley

Madeline Ellen Heath Woods Schooley passed peacefully into eternity on Friday, February 23, 2018 at her home in Midwest City two weeks after returning from her favorite vacation spot in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Born November 1, 1928 at home in Rush Springs, Oklahoma to Carl and Stella (Jones) Heath, she grew up in Rush Springs where she was a Watermelon Queen candidate and graduate of Rush Springs High School. After high school graduation she headed off to Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha, Oklahoma earning her bachelor’s degree in home economics. While attending college in Chickasha, she met Robert L. Woods Sr. and they were married. During their 25-year union, they had two children, Robert L. Woods Jr. and Donna Ann (Woods) Carter. She taught home economics at Cushing Junior High and High School. Madeline earned her master’s degree in vocational home economics from Oklahoma State University in 1968. An accomplished pilot, having earned her license in the 1960s, she taught a few years of aeronautics before leaving her position at Cushing in 1979. She was a member the International Flying Farmers for more than 50 years and served as the IFF Queen in 1972 traveling the United States and Canada as an ambassador for the organization. Madeline was a "joiner", a member of multiple clubs and organizations, where she was usually found in a leadership role. These clubs and organizations included: Tinker Officer Wives' Club, Oklahoma Retired Citizens Travel Club, Ivy Garden Club, Oklahoma County Retired Educators Association to name a few. She married Colonel (ret) Jim Schooley on December 22, 1979 and they traveled the world together until his passing in 1995. She was later joined on her travels by special traveling companions Warren and later Chet. She lived life to the fullest from running a zip line in the Costa Rican rain forest in 2015 to yearly visits to her special favorite vacation destination in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She loved the arts in the Oklahoma City community and had just finished restoring a beaded dress for a Chickasha High School senior class drama production. She was a loyal and true Oklahoma State Cowboy and had enjoyed tailgating with family and friends while attending Oklahoma State Cowboy football during the last decade as a season ticket holder. She is preceded in death by her parents, Carl Heath and Stella (Jones Heath) and IB Coffee and her sister, Juanita (Heath) Scott; her second husband, Col. (ret) Jim C. Schooley; her children’s father, Robert L. Woods Sr.; grandson, Travis Kubiak; and her special traveling companions, Warren Ward and Chester “Chet” Caulderwood. She is survived by her brothers, Melvin Heath and his wife Betty of Rush Springs and Gene Coffee and his wife, Francis, of Edmond; her son, Robert L. Woods Jr. and his wife, Donna, of Muskogee; her daughter, Donna Ann (Woods) Carter, of Chickasha; stepchildren, Jimalea (Schooley) Webb of Port Townsend, WA.; Renee’ (Schooley) Kubiak of Huntington Beach, CA.; and Greg Schooley and Heather Seawright of Watervliet, MI.; grandchildren, Aaron Smith, Kelly (Woods) Goodman, Nicole (Woods) Houser, Whitney (Woods) Caplanis; Courtney Carter, Jessica Beavers, Brian Webb, Cheri (Webb) Bagby, Erin (Kubiak) O’Connor, and Jim and Rowen Schooley, numerous greatgrandchildren and extended family and friends. A memorial service celebrating the life of Madeline will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 2nd at St. Matthew United Methodist Church, Midwest City, OK. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her name to the St. Matthews United Methodist Church of Midwest City.