Obituary for Jean Rodgers
Jean Rodgers, of Durant, Oklahoma passed from this life on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at the age of 79. She was born on Sunday, February 14, 1943, in Phoenix, Arizona to Wilbur Edward and Lillian Mae (Tatum) Yeager.
She married the love of her life, William Frank Rodgers on June 2, 1960, in Madill, Oklahoma and what a truly remarkable journey they embarked on. Their love story is one for the ages, and continues now and forever with their reunion in Heaven upon Jean’s arrival.
Perfectly, being a Valentine’s baby, God created Jean with a special gift for loving. While her family was the greatest beneficiary of this gift, many others were fortunate enough to feel and be a part of being loved by Jean. If she loved you, you knew it. If you needed her, you had her. It was simply who Jean was, the essence of her soul. She was the Matriarch of our family and centered us all. A constant loving presence, protecting those she held dear. She truly was a force to be reckoned with. Her faith was her guiding light. She knew beyond any doubt Jesus was her Savior and her friend. Her strength resided in Him. She not only talked her faith, but she walked her faith out as well.
She was a woman of many talents. She could take anything and make it something. She defined the word ingenuity. She came up with solutions for pesky little inconveniences, or life’s greatest challenges. Never one to sit idle, she made the most of every waking hour and if something needed to be done, she was going to do it. The energizer bunny had nothing on her. She loved to tend to her flower gardens. Yellow roses were her favorite. She enjoyed traveling and never met a stranger on her journeys. Most of all she enjoyed her family and friends, new and old.
Those of us who were blessed with her truly have a remarkable example of courage, resilience, and perseverance to follow. She was extraordinary, not perfect but extraordinary and we love her.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years William Frank Rodgers; parents Wilbur Edward and Lillian Mae (Tatum) Yeager; granddaughter Amanda Money; brother Ralph Yeager; in-laws Leon & Billy Ann (Sparger) Rodgers and brother-in-law Jackie Rodgers.
She is survived by her loving family, her girls Tonya Finley and husband Stephen of Whitesboro, Texas; Rhonda Pilkilton and husband Jeff of Calera, Oklahoma; Toni Wipperman of McKinney, Texas; grandchildren Eric Money and wife Emily of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Shelby Chandler and husband Royce of Antlers, Oklahoma, Brittany Wigington and husband Blake of Durant, Oklahoma, Chelsey Pilkilton of Blue, Oklahoma; great grandchildren Anna Francis and Eleanor Money, Gabe and Maggie Smith, Kaysen and Greyson Wigington; sister Carolyn Shippman and husband Zig of Durant, Oklahoma; brother Cim Yeager and wife Shirley of Ft. Worth, Texas; sister-in-law Christie Pena and husband Penny of Capitan, New Mexico; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great-nephews and many other extended family, as well as many friends she considered family.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00PM, Saturday, November 12, 2022 at First Methodist Church in Durant, Oklahoma. A graveside service will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Calera, Oklahoma with Pastor Karen Slater officiating. Stephen Finley, Jeff Pilkilton, Royce Chandler, Trevor Wipperman, Joe Beshirs and Kevin Tuttle will serve as pallbearers.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Gordon Funeral Home, 221 N. 3rd, Durant, PH- 580-916-9090, www.gordonfh.com
She married the love of her life, William Frank Rodgers on June 2, 1960, in Madill, Oklahoma and what a truly remarkable journey they embarked on. Their love story is one for the ages, and continues now and forever with their reunion in Heaven upon Jean’s arrival.
Perfectly, being a Valentine’s baby, God created Jean with a special gift for loving. While her family was the greatest beneficiary of this gift, many others were fortunate enough to feel and be a part of being loved by Jean. If she loved you, you knew it. If you needed her, you had her. It was simply who Jean was, the essence of her soul. She was the Matriarch of our family and centered us all. A constant loving presence, protecting those she held dear. She truly was a force to be reckoned with. Her faith was her guiding light. She knew beyond any doubt Jesus was her Savior and her friend. Her strength resided in Him. She not only talked her faith, but she walked her faith out as well.
She was a woman of many talents. She could take anything and make it something. She defined the word ingenuity. She came up with solutions for pesky little inconveniences, or life’s greatest challenges. Never one to sit idle, she made the most of every waking hour and if something needed to be done, she was going to do it. The energizer bunny had nothing on her. She loved to tend to her flower gardens. Yellow roses were her favorite. She enjoyed traveling and never met a stranger on her journeys. Most of all she enjoyed her family and friends, new and old.
Those of us who were blessed with her truly have a remarkable example of courage, resilience, and perseverance to follow. She was extraordinary, not perfect but extraordinary and we love her.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years William Frank Rodgers; parents Wilbur Edward and Lillian Mae (Tatum) Yeager; granddaughter Amanda Money; brother Ralph Yeager; in-laws Leon & Billy Ann (Sparger) Rodgers and brother-in-law Jackie Rodgers.
She is survived by her loving family, her girls Tonya Finley and husband Stephen of Whitesboro, Texas; Rhonda Pilkilton and husband Jeff of Calera, Oklahoma; Toni Wipperman of McKinney, Texas; grandchildren Eric Money and wife Emily of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Shelby Chandler and husband Royce of Antlers, Oklahoma, Brittany Wigington and husband Blake of Durant, Oklahoma, Chelsey Pilkilton of Blue, Oklahoma; great grandchildren Anna Francis and Eleanor Money, Gabe and Maggie Smith, Kaysen and Greyson Wigington; sister Carolyn Shippman and husband Zig of Durant, Oklahoma; brother Cim Yeager and wife Shirley of Ft. Worth, Texas; sister-in-law Christie Pena and husband Penny of Capitan, New Mexico; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great-nephews and many other extended family, as well as many friends she considered family.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00PM, Saturday, November 12, 2022 at First Methodist Church in Durant, Oklahoma. A graveside service will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Calera, Oklahoma with Pastor Karen Slater officiating. Stephen Finley, Jeff Pilkilton, Royce Chandler, Trevor Wipperman, Joe Beshirs and Kevin Tuttle will serve as pallbearers.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Gordon Funeral Home, 221 N. 3rd, Durant, PH- 580-916-9090, www.gordonfh.com