Mary Jane Heidinger, 99, died peacefully in the early morning of November 26, 2016. Hers was a life well lived and she will be dearly missed by a family that adored her.

Mary Jane was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma on April 24, 1917, into a family that arrived before statehood. She was the third child of Laura Thompson and George McNeill. When she and her siblings, Helen and Howard, were orphaned, their grandmother and four aunts immediately took them in hand. It was this family strength and loyalty that fueled Mary Jane's deep devotion to her family. And it was this tightly knit family that inspired their cousin, Lynn Riggs, to write the play Green Grow the Lilacs, which Rodgers and Hammerstein adapted into the musical Oklahoma! Laurey, the play's heroine, was modeled after Mary Jane's mother, Laura.

She graduated Sapulpa High School in 1935, and it was there she met her husband of 44 years, Milton Heidinger. They settled in Tulsa and had two children, Craig and Laura Jo. Mary Jane was the secretary at Eisenhower Elementary School where her kindness and happy smile touched the lives of countless children. She had a life-long devotion to church, bridge, and bowling, participating in service groups, clubs, and leagues for well over 70 years. As she slowed down in her 90s, she got a computer to play bridge online. Mary Jane had more friends than can be named and her laughter was constant and unforgettable.

Mary Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Milton, and daughter, Laura Jo. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Pat, her grandchildren Laura and Nicholas, great-grandchildren Olivia and Lucy, and many more beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. One of the last things she was heard to say was "Never give up." A fitting sentiment for an indomitable spirit.

An open viewing will be held from 9am to noon on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Moore Funeral Home - Rosewood Chapel, 2570 S. Harvard Avenue. This will be followed by a funeral service at 1pm at Ranch Acres Baptist Church, 3143 S. Jamestown. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute memorial donations to Ranch Acres Baptist Church, 3143 South Jamestown, Tulsa, OK 74135.