Mary Kathryn Shields

Mary Kathryn was born Oct. 18, 1928, to James Floyd and Lucy Ethel Hoover. She was the baby of three children born to her parents.

Born in Shawnee, she with her family moved to New Mexico as an infant and was raised there. She graduated from Portales High School, Portales, New Mexico in May of 1946. On Nov. 19, 1946, she married the love of her life, Don D. Shields in Portales, New Mexico. Shortly after their marriage Don and Mary Kathryn moved to Shawnee and remained here for the rest of their lives. This union was blessed with a daughter brought from Don’s previous marriage and three more daughters and one son. Mary Kathryn and Don were married for 54 years before he preceded her in death in 2001.

Mary Kathryn was raised in a loving Christian home. She had great faith and was a devout follower of Christ her entire life. She strived daily to live a life of faith and good example to her family and the world. She was a member of Central Church of Christ at the time of her death.

Mary Kathryn was a homemaker until her youngest daughter was in middle school. She worked outside the home as a cashier for the Shawnee High School cafeteria, in accounting at C. R. Anthony’s in both Shawnee and Oklahoma City, and as a teller at Bancfirst. She worked only long enough to qualify for Social Security and then came back home to homemaking and sewing.

She was very active in her children’s schools in PTA , Homeroom Mother, and Camp Fire Leader.

Mary Kathryn was a gifted seamstress. She made clothing for all of her children and for those in need. She did several different types of needle work and made beautiful quilts. She exhibited and won several awards for her sewing at the Pottawatomie County Fair in her younger years.

Mary Kathryn loved to sing. She sang at many weddings, and funerals in her lifetime. She was a member of Sweet Adeliene’s in both Chula Vista, California, and Oklahoma City. She started a group in Shawnee for a brief period.

She leaves to mourn her passing one son and daughter in law, Mickey and Debbie Shields of Simi Valley, CA., three daughters and sons in law, Donna and Dick Marcum of Flint, Texas., Wanda and David Combs of Oklahoma City, and Vonda and Leonard Davis of Shawnee, and a son-in-law, David Wright of Wichita, Kansas. She is survived by grandchildren, Jeff Marcum. Don Davis, Lisa Wilborn, Austin Nail, Brian Nail, Kathy Kohlman, Tracy Davis, Julia Marcum, Derek Wright, and Dane Wright, 16 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren and two nephews. She leaves behind several cousins and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Brenda Shields Wright, a grandson, a brother, a sister, a niece and a nephew.