Mary Brown

Mary Amanda Ferguson Brown, longtime resident of Ponca City, passed Friday, October 2, 2015 at Via Christi Village. She was 98 years of age.

Mary was born November 29, 1916 in Grady, New Mexico, the daughter of Robert Lee Keathly and Zoa May (Frantz) Keathly. When she was one and a half years of age she moved with her parents to Ponca City where she lived the rest of her life. In 1932 her parents moved to a farm North of Nardin, Oklahoma with the children staying in Ponca City to attend school. Mary graduated from Ponca City High School with the class of 1936. She attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College and Oklahoma State University taking courses in Family Relations and Child Development. She worked for the dentist, Dr. J.A. Clugston for four years. She was employed at the First Baptist Church Nursery School and Day Care for 17 years, retiring in 1980.

On November 26, 1939 she was married to Cecil Jay Ferguson of Ponca City. To this union was born two children, daughter Deanna May Ferguson Hodges and son Robert Lee Ferguson. Cecil passed on August 5, 1981. She married Ira N. Brown on April 7, 1984. Ira passed on December 7, 2006.

Mary was a member of the Ponca City First Baptist Church since 1928, a member of the Silvertone Choir (Senior Citizens Choir) and very active in church work. She also taught in the Junior Department and was coordinator of the Nursery Department for many years in Sunday School. Children were a very important part of her life, as she loved teaching and working with the children. Mary also enjoyed working with genealogy, art work, oil painting, crocheting and photography.

She was also a member of the Miriam Rebekah Lodge #20 for over 55 years, holding all offices in the Lodge and was Lodge Deputy and Secretary for many years. She had transferred to the Golden Rule Rebekah Lodge #66 in Tonkawa a few years ago.

She is survived by her daughter, Deanna Hodges and husband Grant of Ponca City; her daughter-in-law, Cathy Ferguson of Ponca City; seven grandchildren, Todd, Timothy and Ty Hodges, Amanda Hodges Fairbanks, Jay, Scott and Becky Ferguson;

29 great grandchildren, Jessica, Katie, Kori, Jayden, Julianna, Tyler, Megan, Blake, Camden, Briley, Mckynna, Tate, Callen, Bryan, Mitchell, Gavin, Aiden, Gracie, Scott, Daniel, Joshua, Parker, Madison, Hallie, Ellie, Aidan, Nathan, Ashlynn and Lauren.

2 great great grandchildren, Embry and Aubree; two step-children, Charles Brown and wife Pat, of Midwest City, Oklahoma and Carol Litton and husband Ken, of St. Charles, Missouri. Ken and Carol were missionaries in Brazil for 12 years; four step-grandchildren, Matthew and Mark Litton, Lisa Thompson and Linda Brown of Midwest City;

She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; her son, Robert Lee Ferguson; three brothers, Frantz, Herbert and Walter Keathly; three sisters, Mrs. Wayne (Lucy) Lacy, Mrs. Lloyde (Winifred) Jeffrey and Evelyn Bryan.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 in the First Baptist Church Worship Center with French McLemore and grandson Ty Hodges presiding.
Interment will follow in the Ponca City I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Casket bearers are Todd Hodges, Tim Hodges, Ty Hodges, Jay Ferguson, Scott Ferguson and Matt Litton. Honorary casket bearers are all the great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 6525 North Meridian Ave. #110, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116.