Mary Frances Oliver

Mary was born in Ft. Worth, Texas to Felix and Francis McCoy on May 1, 1942. Mary grew up in Ft. Worth with her younger brother John who is seven years younger, and said and I quote “Mary was the best sister any brother could have had.” As a young girl, Mary loved working the Girl Scout summer camps as a camp counselor.

After graduating in 1960 from R.L. Paschal High School in Ft. Worth, Mary attended The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. While at UNT Mary worked in the school cafeteria to help pay for her studies. Mary studied education and art and graduated with a Bachelors of Education in 1964. Mary got her first start in education teaching art to students in Azle, Texas where she taught a couple of years with her dear friend , T. D. Clower Taylor.

On New Years Eve of 1965, Mary was visiting her cousin Susie in Oklahoma City and was set up on a blind date with long time bachelor Woody S. Oliver who was five years her senior. Woody proposed to Mary three months later in Ft. Worth and Mary said yes. However, Mary was still living at home with her parents and Mary made sure to give Woody enough time to get back across the Red River before she told her parents that she was going to marry an Okie!

June 4, 1966 Mary and Woody were married in Ft. Worth, Texas. They spent their honeymoon in Pampa, Texas, cause, that’s where the car was found after being stolen some days earlier. They had planned on having a honeymoon in New Orleans and some 25 years later they did spend that honeymoon in New Orleans. Mary and Woody had many adventures together.

They traveled to Europe three times including many stops in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland and France. Mary was able to see so many of the most famous works of art by the masters that she studied and loved so much in Florence and Paris including Michelangelo’s David. Her favorite place, as she would recall was in Florence, Italy and its middle aged bridge the Ponte Vecchio. They also spent two weeks in London once with their dear friends the Duggins’ who were living there at the time.

Mary and Woody went on vacations in Mexico including Acapulco and Mexico City and a week long sailboat cruise around the Caribbean. All of which were spent away from their two boys (which I’m sure they needed a break from) Jason and Chad. One of the family's favorite summer vacations was to spend a week every summer with dear friends, the Taylor’s, at their summer cabin on the Guadalupe River.

After they were married, Mary and Woody settled in OKC. After living in a few different apartments around the city, Mary and Woody bought a house. It was here that Mary had two children, her first son Jason was born in 1969 and her second son Chad was born 19 months later in 1971. In 1977, the Oliver family moved to Hurst, Texas when Woody got a job with Southland Corp. Mary was thrilled to be back in her home state and not far from where she grew up around all of her rather large family of Uncles, Aunts and numerous cousins. After a couple of years in Hurst, Woody was transferred to Lawton, Ok where they lived and raised their sons for over 25 years.

During the time in Lawton, Mary began to substitute teach and in the mid-eighties Mary became a full time teacher at Tomlinson Jr High. After a couple of years at Tomlinson, Mary transferred to Eisenhower Jr High (where her boys had attended) and she remained an Art teacher at Ike for more than 20 years before retiring. Mary loved teaching as much as most teachers do, as long as the kids would sit still and listen. Among the numerous students she taught art to was her son Chad who went on to receive his BFA and MFA in Painting. They shared a love of drawing, painting and making art. Chad still works as an artist and designer today, all due to his mother's inspiration, guidance and unending support.

In 2008 after retirement, Mary and Woody moved back to Oklahoma City and bought a condo not too far from where they had lived so many years earlier. Mary and Woody immediately went back to their old church at Northwest Baptist and reconnected with old friends and made many new friends. Mary and Woody had been members of Quail Springs Baptist Church for the past five years where they have served actively.

After a short move up near Edmond, Mary and Woody had recently moved into the Baptist Village where Mary passed away suddenly on July 6, 2020 after suffering a stroke at home.

Mary is survived by her husband and love of her life of 54 years Woody, her two sons Jason and Chad, and daughter-in-laws Nicole and Tomoko and her brother John and sister-in-law Faye. Mary was a loving Aunt, Cousin, Mom, Wife, Friend, Sister and Godmother. Mary spoiled her husband and sons and will be remembered by them as the sweetest person to ever be born. She was selfless and supported all of our dreams. She always taught us that art was bigger than the collective and that with creativity we can achieve more than what’s in front of us.

She will be so missed by all of us and we are better people for knowing her.

Mary is now at home with the Lord and will be the first one in line to meet us when we get there. One of her favorite scriptures and gives all of us comfort is Psalms 23:1 - A Psalm of David. Because the LORD is my shepherd, have everything I need.

There will be a public viewing for Mary at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Oklahoma City on Thursday, July 9, 2020 from 12pm to 5pm for her friends and family to come say goodbyes and remember her. There will be a private ceremony for immediate family members in Ft. Worth, where Mary will be laid to rest with her parents at Laurel Land Memorial Park on Friday, July 10, 2020 at 1pm.