Jimmie Herrin

Jimmie Lee was born September 8, 1941 at home in a little valley now known as "Blueberry Valley", in the Qualls community. She was third daughter of Willie Dotson and Gladys Carter Dotson. Her old sisters were Billie Jean and Mary Ann Dotson. When she was six months old her family moved to the Woodall community. When she was one year old her family moved to a place on the bluffs above the beautiful free flowing Illinois River, now known as Carter's Landing, where she lived most of her childhood days. She always had many wonderful memories of living on the river. She attended Carter grade school. She was a graduate of Tahlequah High School in 1959. Jimmie was a sales clerk for many years in downtown Tahlequah, at J.B. Cox, Reeds and Hinds Department Stores. When at Hinds, she was the manager of the children's department, and later she was the manager of The Lobby Jr. Store. After leaving Hinds, she and her sister Billie operated a clothing store in "OLD TOWN", Albuquerque, New Mexico, by the name of "THE FAR WEST".

On January 1, 1987, she married the love of her life, Michael Wayne Herrin in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the home of her sister Billie. Mike and Jimmie had known each other since their high school days at Tahlequah, and had been friends for many years. Mike was an employee of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M. They designed and had built for them a log home in the beautiful Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos, in the heart of the Santa Fe national forest. They loved the "High Country", abundant with wildlife they both enjoyed so much, also the golden aspens in autumn and the deep snows in winter. They were both artist, and Jimmie painted many scenes of the American west while living there. Jimmie always said, "her husband was the best art instructor she ever had!" She also said of the "High Country", "It was closer to Heaven up there." When her husband retired from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, they returned to their native Oklahoma and hometown, Tahlequah.

Somewhere high in the Jemez Mountains of N.M. beside a rippling stream, on the trunk of an aspen tree, two initials are carved, "M" and "J", two hearts forever there in the solitude of the wilderness.

Jimmie passed from this life on December 17, 2017.

Family that preceded her in death are her parents, her sister Billie Dotson Smith, brother-in-law Robert Smith (big brother) and Richard Smith (Ricky).
Those that survive her are her beloved husband Mike of the home; sister Mary Ann Dotson Simpson and husband Jim; nieces Carol Elizabeth Simpson Kise and husband Jyoji of Madison, Alabama, Janet Smith Reagan and husband George of Belen, New Mexico and Shelly McGuire of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Nephews David Simpson of Oklahoma City, Ok and Bobby Smith of Phoenix, Arizona; Special cousins Jim Morrell and Mary Sue McCall (who was like a brother and sister to her) and Betty Jo Ragsdale all of Tahlequah, OK; Special Friends Anne Uzzo of Tahlequah, OK and Athena Hair Cochran of Welling, OK (who was like a daughter to her), and lifelong friend Lois Ann Carson Harvill of Olathe, Kansas and Jessie Fay Tillman Mathis of Choctaw, OK; Several great nephews, nieces and several great-great nephews and nieces also several friends and other relatives.
Jimmie believed in a loving God, not a God of wrath, and his beloved Son Jesus, also life after death.

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