Mary Jo Beaird's Obituary
Mary Jo Beaird, 98 years old, of Jenks, passed away on the 30th of January surrounded by her family. Mary Jo was born on the 20th of December 1924 in Tonkawa, Oklahoma to Michael Joseph and Mada Curtin. Upon graduation from Saint Louis Oklahoma High School, she began work for the County Clerk Office, Registrar of Deeds for Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. Later Mary Jo went to work for Lincoln County Abstractors and then moved on to the land department of the Kerr-McGee Oil Company where Mary Jo accomplished mineral searches and prepared plat maps for the Rangley Oil Field in Colorado. She continued to provide office oversight and management to many organizations throughout her life including the Tulsa Public Library System, and cardiac medical offices in Houston, Texas.
Mary Jo was a devoted wife and mother. While still in High School she was engaged to her childhood friend, Jack Beaird, in 1942. Their wedding was delayed because Jack was called to active duty in the Army Air Corps. Then, following the end of war, she and Jack were married in November of 1945 in Odessa, Texas. After the war, Jack worked in the oilfield supply and service business which required the family to relocate often to wherever new oilfields were being developed. Their first child, Allen, was born in March of 1950 in Duncan, Oklahoma. Immediately after Allen was born, the Korean War broke out, and Jack was recalled to duty at Walker Air Force Base in New Mexico. Once again, Mary Jo followed Jack to a new home. After the Korean War, their second child, Suzanne, was born in Duncan, Oklahoma. Mary Jo supported her family with love and devotion, moving her family to at least 10 different homes before her children graduated from the University of Oklahoma.
Mary Jo was a selfless and giving mother. If a Boy Scout Den Mother were needed, she became the Den Mother. If a Girl Scout Leader were needed, then Mary Jo leapt into that roll. If vacation bible school volunteers were needed, she volunteered. During the summers, Mary Jo, would spend hours providing dramatic readings of books such as Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and Little House on the Prairie to enraptured neighborhood children sitting in a circle around her feet. If a neighborhood child was neglected or hungry, then that child had a place at her table. Every day of her life she demonstrated how to love your neighbor.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents; her brother Patrick; Jack, her husband of 55 years; and her son-in-law James Beauchamp. Mary Jo is survived by her two children, Allen Beaird and Suzanne Beauchamp; one daughter-in-law, Lynn Beaird; five grandchildren, Michael Beaird (wife Rebecca), Heather Beaird, Kevin Beauchamp, Keith Beauchamp (wife Julie), and Keri Brooke (husband Ed); and six great-grandchildren, Garran Beaird, Chloe Beaird, Zachary and Adam Beauchamp, Chase and Marshall Brooke.
Visitation will be 3-5 pm, Sunday, February 5, 2023, at Floral Haven Funeral Home.
Funeral Service will be 10:00 am, Monday, February 6, 2023, at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Tulsa.
Interment will be 1:00 pm, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Saint Jude’s Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church or a food bank of your choice
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