Jimmie Bowen Ruth Bowen Kelly Smith

Jimmie Ruth (Bowen) Kelly Smith of Edmond, OK, (somehow she changed the spelling to Jimi) was born to S. Kelley & Grace (Pegues) Bowen in Cleburne, Texas, August 19, 1924, and passed away May 13, 2011, in Edmond, OK. She moved with her parents and her sister, Dorothy (Bowen) Roles, to a rented farm north of Mangum, OK, in the height of the depression in 1933. She and her family, who arrived in Mangum area in an old truck and with $50, later that decade settled in the Hester farming community east of town.

Jimmie graduated from Mangum High School in 1942 and attended Oklahoma State University in the middle of WWII. She was a proud member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority at Oklahoma State. She subsequently received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in elementary education and proudly had many hours towards her Doctorate.

Jimmie married Dennis G. Kelly, Sr., in 1947 and they made their home in Sayre, OK, Stillwater, OK, as well as Austin, TX, until the death of Dennis, Sr., in 1961. She moved with her son, Dennis, Jr., briefly to Mangum, OK, and moved to Weatherford, OK, in the summer of 1964.

Beginning in 1966, Jimmie Ruth began teaching in the Weatherford Public School system. First, she taught a comprehensive reading curriculum and later the 4th grade at both East and West Elementary Schools. She retired from teaching in 1989 after over 20 years with the system.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, as well as her life-long laughing partner and sister, Dorothy. She is survived by her son, Dennis Kelly, Jr., & wife Elaine of Oklahoma City; three granddaughters: Denise Kelly of Oklahoma City, Allison (Kelly) Harms & husband Ryan of Allen, TX, and Kelsey Kelly of Tulsa; husband, Jake Smith of Abilene, TX; nephew, D. Kelley Bowen of Mangum, OK; and niece, Jean Brown of Derby, KS.

Jimmie loved to laugh and had a way of speaking her mind. In her last days, she still corrected poor grammar, espoused her love for OSU, enjoyed talking about her former students, and would laugh at the silliest of old stories. She taught that the Bible was the inspired word of God and one should always read and search it for meaning and salvation. She loved the written word and she can now read all she wants to the Father. This is the first place her actual age has ever been in print. She never wanted anyone to know her age, and she often made it a game to make sure no one really knew. I think she is having the last laugh. God bless Grandmother.