Edith Joyce Mabry

Edith Joyce McGill was born on Monday, May 18, 1926 in Denison, Texas to Martin Luther McGill and Lillie Mae Keel McGill. She was the youngest of four siblings. She died on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 and lived to be 94 years old. Edith is preceded in death by her parents Martin and Lillie, her sister Marie Pribble, her brother Luther Leroy "J.R." McGill, her sister Dorothy Walsleben, her husband Samuel Mabry Jr., her aunt Edith Malvina Keel, her namesake, as well her grandparents and many aunts and uncles. Edith is survived by her son Michael and his wife Marsha Mabry of Tulsa, her son Martin and his wife Jeanne Mabry of Cleveland, TN, her grandson Rev. Jason and his wife Christina Mabry of Tulsa, OK, her granddaughter Rebecca Mabry of Dallas, her grandson Ryan Mabry of Cleveland, TN, her great-granddaughters Evangeline and Eliana Mabry of Tulsa, OK, many nieces and nephews, and her lifelong friend Betty Bonham and the Bonham family. Edith grew up in Texas and north central Oklahoma. Her mother, Lillie, died when Edith was five years old and she was raised by her father and her grandmother Rose Ella Keel, nee Estes. It was in Tonkawa, Oklahoma that she met Sam Mabry at a youth Sunday school party from First Baptist Church and they fell in love. Edith graduated from Tonkawa High School in 1944 and then attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa. Edith married Sam at the First Baptist Church of Tonkawa on June 21, 1944 before he shipped out to Europe to fight in World War II. They were married for 74 years. While Sam was fighting in Europe, Edith served in an airplane factory in Wichita, KS as a real-life Rosie the Riveter. Later she earned her license and worked as a realtor in Bartlesville and Tulsa. She also worked as a clerk at Renberg's department store. When she was not working, Edith was volunteering with Meals on Wheels where she served for 30 years. For most of those years she served as a supervisor. Edith also served as a chaperone for the Miss Oklahoma pageant. Sam and Edith were active members of First Baptist Church in Bartlesville and First Baptist Church in Tulsa. She served for many years at FBC Tulsa as the Sunday school secretary. Edith was active in the Women's Missionary Union where they supported Foreign Missionary Board missionaries spiritually and financially. She also enjoyed round table and book studies at church. Apart from the church, Edith and Sam also supported mission work in Hawaii, church planting in the Philippines, and Wycliff Bible Translators for which her brother-in-law served as a missionary in New Guinea. Edith loved knitting, painting, and gardening. She was also an accomplished seamstress making all kinds of clothes for family and friends. She even made a wedding dress for Mercy, an international student at Oral Roberts University. Edith and Sam took flying lessons in Bartlesville. While Sam was on a business trip, she flew solo in a small plane before he did in order to tease him. Mike and Martin were in the backseat of their station wagon while she flew. Edith surprised Sam with the news when he came home. After Sam retired, they traveled the world together, along with her sister, Dorothy, and the Bonhams. Edith will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend by her family and many friends who considered themselves better off and blessed for knowing her. Visitation will be on Sunday May 9th, 2021 from 10 am until 8 pm. A service will be held at 9 am on Monday May 10th, 2021 followed by interment at Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation and Service will be at Moore Funeral Home at 9350 E. 51st Street Tulsa, OK 74145. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Edith's honor to your local Meals on Wheels.

Edith Joyce Mabry

May 18, 1926 - May 5, 2021