Annie "Muvey" Odell

Jodi Anne Perry (born Jo Anne White and affectionately known by her friends as "Jodi;" "Annie" and by her family as "Muvey"), 85 years old, went Home to be with Jesus on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. She was the wife and widow of Richard Allen Lockwood, M.D. They shared 30 years of marriage together. Jo Anne was born and raised in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Her parents were Jane Odell White and Perry Fleming White (who went by "Fleming"). She was their only child, being that she was born in 1930, during the Great Depression. However, her mother Jane was one of 11 children, so Jo Anne had several aunts and uncles whom she was very close with and that all lived in the nearby town of Henrietta. Her mother Jane was a registered nurse at the local hospital and her father Fleming was an electrical engineer. They were very fortunate to have continued income during the difficult Depression years. Her first five years were spent living on a farm on the edge of town and the family grew their own food. They fared well, offering food and assistance to needy families/neighbors who would help by picking the fruit off the trees in their orchard, on several acres of land. After the Depression, the White family moved closer into town. Jo Anne was especially fond of dancing and her mother was a great seamstress. She made several costumes for her and she performed in school plays and in the local theater. When she was still small, she auditioned and obtained the part of "Darla" in the production of "The Little Rascals," performed locally. When she was just three years old, her parents bought a lovely baby grand piano for her. Piano, voice and entertainment became the highlight of her life. As a teenager, she would often play piano for the worship services at the family church, United Methodist Church in Okmulgee. While attending Okmulgee High School, Jo Anne was creative, writing for the school newspaper and as well as acting in school plays. Her favorite was playing the role of Ms. Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest. After graduating from Okmulgee High School in 1948, she went on to Christian College (now known as Columbia College), an all-girls school in Columbia Missouri, where she received her AA in music. She excelled in piano and voice, receiving a scholarship upon graduation to study at the American Music Conservatory/Sorbonne, located at the Chateau de Fountainebleau, France under the direction of the acclaimed professor of accompagnement au piano, Nadia Boulanger. After her studies in France, Jo Anne returned to America to study at the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she received three degrees in music, voice and music education. She was also accepted to Julliard for continuation of her studies in music. After completing her studies in music, she performed with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians in Shawnee on Delaware in the early 1950's, during the height of the choral group's success, when they produced several hit records. She also performed in Radio City Music Hall. She was an accomplished concert pianist, performing in several recitals and concerts. One of her favorite memories was performing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with The Tulsa Symphony, alongside another pianist and colleague from school. She also experienced an exciting opportunity to perform with Shirley Jones in the stage production of "Oklahoma!" which was one of the highlights of her career. In 1953 she married Richard Allen Lockwood from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he completed his studies in medicine at the University of Kansas while she taught 4th grade and gave piano lessons from their home in Overland Park. They had two boys, Marc (b. 1957) and Chris (b. 1959, d. 1988). Richard joined the Navy as a Medical doctor, and the family was suddenly relocated to Chi Chi Jima, (Bonin Islands in the Pacific, north of Iwo Jima) where Jodi was the only school teacher and Richard was the only physician on the entire island! Daughter Michelle was born in 1961 before the family returned to Kansas City and Richard entered private practice as a thoracic surgeon. Daughter Wendy was born in 1966, who, unable to say "Mother" came up with "Muvey," which has stuck to this day. In 1971, the family was tiring of the cold winters of the Midwest and decided to settle in sunny La Jolla, California. Jodi stayed home to raise the kids, giving them abundant, unceasing love steeped deep in faith, tradition and music, music music! There wasn't a holiday that didn't come with pretty decorations about the house. Shamrock shakes at McDonald's for St. Patrick's Day (that was the only thing the kids liked about McDonald's!); Easter baskets filled with cute stuffed toys and candy; pumpkin carving and spiced cider in the fall; endless hours spent in the kitchen making foods from scratch for Thanksgiving dinner - especially Grandmother Jane's homemade dressing; attending church services at La Jolla Presbyterian Church; sunrise Easter services at the Cross on Mt. Soledad; Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at All Hallows; an expanse of beautiful presents under the tree the following Christmas morning; carefully thought out and detailed birthday parties; music lessons, Scouts, camping trips; Den Mother; Elementary School Room Mother.....it is impossible to list all the beautiful things that Muvey did to brighten the lives of her family and loved ones. In the late 1970's, when the kids were more more independent, Jodi began teaching music at Muirlands Junior High School where Wendy attended. She worked with Mr. Ritchie in Band; Ms. Barnwell; Mona Moon; graded English papers for Ms. Watson; worked in the kitchen putting together hot lunches, and revived the dreaded Detention Room. Wendy was sent to detention by Ms. Watson for being repeated tardies. Wendy was hugely mistaken in thinking her mother would go light on her that day! Jodi also received an award for Achievement in Music presented to her by Muirlands. Between 1981 and 1983, the family lived in Oxfordshire, England (Richard left private practice to join the USAF), where Jodi taught music at Croughton Elementary School, adjacent to Upper Heyford Air Force Base. A memorable evening was the elementary school spring play, created and produced by Jodi with her students as a full stage production of Hansel & Gretel, including costumes, screenplay/acting, music & singing, props and choreography. After returning to La Jolla, California in 1983, Jodi retired from teaching and enjoyed more free time, singing in the La Jolla Presbyterian Church choir with daughter Wendy; traveling, and writing poetry under her pen name "Annie O'Dell." In 2010, she published her first book, a collection of her poetry entitled, "Poetry Sings Within Me." She received other awards in poetry, including several plaques and trophies from the International Library of Poetry in Washington, D.C. Her poem was listed first in the acclaimed poetry book, "Who's Who." Her final years focused on the joys of being a grandmother to her five precious grandchildren, whom she always hoped would continue her legacy in music, the arts, abounding love and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Our precious Muvey is survived by her children Marc, Michelle and Wendy; daughters-in-law Valerie and Irina; sons-in-law Biagio and Dave; grandchildren Annjelina, Casey, Michelle/Scout, Samantha Jane and Lorenzo. She was predeceased by her loved ones, son Christopher and husband Richard. A private, family service will be held on Monday, March 14 at El Camino Memorial Park. The family is also planning a Memorial Celebration of Muvey's life this June, where everyone - all loved ones, friends, colleagues and extended relatives - are invited to celebrate her accomplishments in music and the arts, enjoy her compositions as performed by a concert pianist, singing by daughter Wendy as well as the reading of her poetry. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made as follows: In loving Memory of Jo Anne White, student, Ecoles D'Art Americaines, Palais de Fontainebleau (1950) under the direction of Nadia Boulanger Fontainebleau Associations P.O. Box 66 Wayne, PA 19087 Inquiries may be directed to Joseph Kerr, Program Director for Music, [email protected] . Founded to expose the best American students to the French tradition in music and architecture, the Fontainebleau Schools have hosted more than 10,000 students at the Chateau de Fontainebleau during the summer sessions since its establishment in 1921. The Fontainebleau Schools are organized as a Foundation, recognized since 1926 as a public service corporation. They are affiliated with the Fontainebleau Associations, an American tax exempt (501 {c} {3}) charitable foundation. A Memorial Celebration of Jodi's life will be held in June, details to follow.