Mary Stogsdill

Mary Blanche Simmons Stogsdill went to be with the Lord on August 26, 2023, at the age of 97. Funeral services will be provided by Hart Funeral Home of Tahlequah, OK. Visitation will be Friday, September 8, 6:00 to 8:00 at the funeral home 1506 N. Grand Ave., with the funeral service Saturday, September 9, 2023, 11:00 a.m. at Elm Tree Baptist Church, 1390 E. Crafton St., Tahlequah. Burial will be at Cedar Tree Baptist Church Cemetery, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Mary Blanche Simmons Stogsdill was born December 9, 1925, near Harrisburg, Arkansas, the daughter of Rufus Elmer and Carrie Delma Bailey Simmons. She was educated in rural schools in Cleburne County Arkansas, attended Rose Bud High School for two years and completed her high school studies at Quitman, Arkansas, High School in December 1945. She attended Arkansas State Teacher’s College (now The University of Central Arkansas) for one semester, then taught grades one through eight at McAnear School—a one-room rural school near Harrisburg, Arkansas—from 1945 to 1946.

She married Jesse Raymond Stogsdill on March 30, 1946, at Heber Springs, Arkansas. The couple moved to Rolla, Missouri, shortly after they were married. She attended the Missouri School of Mines (now the Missouri University of Science and Technology) in the summer of 1946. She received her Associate of Arts degree in Christian Ministries from Oklahoma Baptist University in the spring of 1993.

To this union two sons were born, Jerry Raymond Stogsdill of Edmond, Oklahoma and Thomas Michael Stogsdill of Plano, Texas. She taught schools at Arlington, Kentuck and Oak Grove (Phelps County, Missouri) and Head Start in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Her husband was a Baptist minister and pastored churches in Arkansas and Missouri. She was a faithful and devoted wife serving with her husband. They were appointed missionaries to serve Native Americans by the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1964 and served the plains Indians in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

They moved to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in 1970 to serve with the Cherokee Baptist Association until their retirement in 1991. She loved Cherokee hymns and would sing along at worship services, or “singings.” Together, they continued to serve Anglo and Cherokee churches until Jess suffered a stroke in February 1999 at Faith Baptist Church, where he was pastoring.

She was a frequent camp missionary. Along with Jess, she helped lead 255 Vacation Bible Schools, usually working with the youth. They also led 125 children, youth or family camps.

A few months after Jess’s stroke, they moved to Vermillion, South Dakota, in November 1999 to live with their son, Tom and his family and was a member of Grace Baptist Church. In 2012 she moved with her son and daughter-in-law to Plano, Texas. She was an active member of First Baptist Church, Allen, Texas and Ladies Bible Fellowship Group.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Raymond Stogsdill (Vermillion, SD), parents, Rufus Elmer and Carrie Delma Bailey Simmons (Heber Springs, AR); sisters Charlsie Simmons Wheatley (Rosebud, AR), Floy Simmons Elliott (Alexandria, LA); brothers Doyle Simmons (Heber Springs, AR), and Rufus Elmer Simmons, Jr. (Harrisburg, AR); and great-grandson, Tyler Austin Stogsdill.

She is survived by two sons Jerry Raymond (Cecilia) Stogsdill (Edmond, Oklahoma), Thomas Michael (Susan) Stogsdill (Plano, Texas); two grandchildren, Chad Christopher (Renonda) Stogsdill (Edmond, OK) and Cara Michelle Stogsdill (Rodney) Little (Murphy, Texas); and two great grandsons, Ian Michael Little and Zachary Robert Little (both of Murphy, Texas); great, great granddaughter Kazima Rena Stogsdill (Midwest City, Oklahoma); and sister, Annie Jewell Simmons Brooks (Italy, Texas) and several nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the J.R. and Mary Stogsdill Family Scholarship at Oklahoma Baptist University, OBU Box 61241, 500 West University, Shawnee, OK 74804