Mary Jane Durfee Jenkins

JENKINS, Mary Jane (Durfee), joined her Lord & Savior after a long ordeal of ill health. Mary Jane was born October 22, 1926 in Burlington, VT. Her father was Herbert Ashley Durfee, M.D., Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Vermont Medical School. Her mother was Margaret Elizabeth Spaulding Durfee, who prior to marriage was a physical education instructor. Mary Jane’s two grandfathers were pastors. Mary Jane was a faithful member of Kirk of the Hills Evangelical Presbyterian Church where she had been a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, served Meals on Wheels and attended Women of Worth (WOW). Mary Jane traveled on several short-term missions throughout the world. She toured Israel with friends from the Kirk. She also joined church friends on a trip following the travels of Paul through Turkey and Greece. She was also a member of Bible Study Fellowship International in Tulsa. Mary Jane enjoyed bowling and her team garnered several trophies. She enjoyed tap dancing at home and was the Cub Scout leader for her son’s troop. Travel was a highlight in her life. She visited all the continents including the Arctic and Antarctic. With a group of friends, she played golf annually for many years in the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, and a dozen European Countries. She also played in Tulsa as a member of Cedar Ridge Country Club. Mary Jane was an avid outdoors enthusiast. She had a green thumb and became president of her neighborhood garden club. She was involved in raising cattle on acreage in Eastern Tulsa County. She also canoed the wilderness Boundary Waters of Canada over several years with her family, climbed Mt. Katahdin in Maine, hiked the Milford Walk in the Southern Alps of New Zealand (called the world’s finest trek by Winston Churchill), and canoed up the Allagash River in Maine over several days sleeping in tents and cooking over open fires. A memorable adventure for Mary Jane was hiking down a wilderness trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. After several hours descent, her knees gave way and she had to walk backwards with the help of her son and husband. Darkness required the family to sleep in a cave off the trail that night. They awoke finding multiple black widow spider webs along the walls. Some family members wished to join her in the helicopter that took her up and out of the canyon but to no avail. Mary Jane was a lifetime skier. She skied the slopes of Vermont and New Hampshire in her early years. While living in Oklahoma, ski trips to New Mexico, Colorado, California, Utah, and Canada were common. As a member of the Tulsa Ski Club, she even skied in Austria. Because her husband was a pilot, Mary Jane felt obliged to learn to fly. She eventually soloed and navigated a long cross-country trip. Mary Jane joined 26 Elder Hostel Trips (now Road Scholar) traveling to Russia, Central and South America and eleven nations in Africa. An outstanding trip was taking her grandson on a photographic safari to South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. Later, cruising brought her to such places as Newfoundland, Ireland, Greenland, Norway, and Alaska. Mary Jane loved animals and always had a variety around her including dogs, cats, a goat, a horse, white mice and rabbits. There are many interesting, and some weird, stories about her animal adventures such as when a 650 lb. black bear raided her camp in the Canadian wilderness. Mary Jane is survived by her husband of 62 years, Edward W. Jenkins, M.D. Mary Jane’s greatest joy was time spent with her children, Christopher, Rebecca, Nancy (Asa Heidarian), Margaret, and Patricia (Bill Lawson). Her love for her five grandchildren: Alexander, William, Edward, MacLeod, and Caroline; was unbounded. She is also survived by her brother, Dr. Herbert Ashley Durfee, Jr., M.D., of Burlington,Vt, and Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth West, of North Ferrisburg, Vt. She also leaves her nineteen nieces and nephews. The celebration of her life will be on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 10:30 A.M., at Kirk of the Hills. In lieu of flowers, Mary Jane would appreciate donations to Literacy and Evangelism, In His Image Medical Group, Kirk of the Hills Missions, or Holland Hall. Mary Jane was never known to complain, she will be remembered for her kindness, patience and quiet sense of humor. Moore’s Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com

Mary Jane Durfee Jenkins

October 22, 1926 - November 7, 2014