Mary Lois Jones, age 99, passed away at her home, Saturday, January 14, 2023, with her daughters by her side. She was born on August 12, 1923, to pioneers Cliff and Willie McGee Orr near Lebanon, Oklahoma. Both parents were born in Pickens District, Chickasaw Nation, now Marshall County in 1889 and 1892. Her beloved grandparents were John and Mary Hamilton Orr, who came to this area in the 1870's from Texas after leaving Mississippi following the Civil War. Maternal grandparents were Alexander, born in 1864, near McGee Creek near Atoka in the Choctaw Nation and Margaret Culp McGee, born in Sedalia, Missouri. Alexander came here as a child as did Margaret.

Mary's grandfather McGee and her mother, Willie McGee Orr, were original enrollees of the Chickasaw Nation.  Mary was always proud of her Chickasaw heritage.

Mary was the youngest child of seven and the only girl. Her brothers were Calvin, Paul, Holmes, Clyde, Maurice (Buddy) and Melvin, all predeceased her. She attended the Lebanon School then Madill Schools, graduating in 1942.  As there were no school buses for the Lebanon area, her dad, a cattleman, had cattle trucks. He converted one into transportation as a bus. Mary's brother, Buddy, a Madill student, was the bus driver transporting Powell and Lebanon students to Madill.  She graduated from Madill High School in 1942 then attended Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma.  She married Staff Sgt. Olen Ray Porter from Enville, Oklahoma.  He was killed in WWII on Leyte Island, The Philippines, December 7, 1944.  He saw their daughter, Mary Jane, once.

Mary Lois later married B. A. Buddy Shilling, whom she had known all her life. They had a daughter, Martha Ann Shilling, who died March 8, 1972.  Their other daughters are Carol Sue Shilling and Nancy Jean Shilling. In 1980, Mary married W. E. Pedo Jones.  She joined him at Jones Farm.  They enjoyed Madill Roundup Club and riding in parades.  Pedo died in 1990.

Mary was very active in the First United Methodist Church in Madill, helping with the first Methodist Bazaar 60 years ago.  She received her 50-year pin from Eastern Star and was past Worthy Matron.  Mary was a long-time member of the Madill Daughter's Club and is still a member of the Madill Rose Garden Club. She and two friends organized Ohoyohoma Indian Women's Club in 1992.  Mary was chairperson of Daffodil Days for the Marshall County American Cancer Society , treasurer and delivery person for the Meals on Wheels Program, board member of the Retired Senior Volunteer program for Love and Marshall Counties, member of the Marshall  County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Club, former secretary of the Chickasaw Nation Senior Citizens advisory committee, a volunteer with the Marshall County Department of Human Services Santa's Volunteers, Mental Health of Southern Oklahoma, and active in AARP.  She even won some medals at the Chickasaw Senior Olympics. In 1993, Mary received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Marshall County Mental Health Services of Southern Oklahoma.  She was honored as Outstanding Older Oklahoman for the Southern Oklahoma Development Association Area Agency on Aging.  It was presented at the Oklahoma Aging Conference in Oklahoma City.  In 1996 Mary was honored for volunteerism at the National Council on Rural Aging presented in Washington, D. C. She was the only person in the nation receiving this award.  First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was principal speaker at the Conference.

Mary Lois is survived by her daughters, Mary Jane Lowery, Sue Shilling, Nancy Shilling, like a daughter Kimberly Bayliffe, nephew Joe Orr, nieces Juanita Clement and Fran Gambel, and several great nephews and great nieces.

Casket Bearers:          Sonja Ray, Jamie Williford, DeLita Mullings, Charlene Hastings and Angela Jones

Honorary Bearers:      Madill Garden Club and members of the Chickasaw Nation.

Memorial may be made to the First United Methodist Church, PO Box 496, Madill, Ok 73446 or Lebanon Cemetery, Po Box 202, Lebanon Ok 73440