Mary Avery, 92, Pioneer School Teacher, Is Dead

Miss Mary Avey, who In more than 50 years of teaching school "never had to spank a child," died Monday in her home, 1325 N Kentucky, She was 92.

The pioneer city teacher had been retired since about 1930. For the past several years she had been in failing health.
Her first job at a school teacher was in a rural district near Arcola, IL. She was hired for $25 a month. After being graduated from Normal College in Valparaiso, Ind., she taught rural schools in Colorado and New Mexico.

In 1892 she came to Oklahoma City and taught in an old store building. Liter she was a teacher at Washington, Emerson, Jefferson and Whittier schools.

She like Boys - Elementary grades were her favorites. And if she were partial to any students, she often said "it would have been the boys, because they were my favorites."
Although she never married, she once confided to friends that she wasn't without offers. "There were two men whom I would have considered as husbands," she said. "But they were both killed before: I had to decide. One was struck by lightning and the other was killed in a mine accident."

Active in religious and charitable work, She was one of the earliest members of the Order of Eastern Star here, in 1938 she received a gold medal for her activities in support of foreign missionary work for the First Presbyterian church.

Rites Are Planned
After retiring, she went abroad several years. And more recently she kept up a large correspondence with acquaintances through out the country. She hadn't visited a schoolroom for many years but she had a definite opinion of the modern day classes. "There isn't the discipline we used to have."

Services are set for 11 a. m. Wednesday in Street & Draper funeral chapel. Burial will be in Fairlawn cemetery, with Rev. C. Ralston Smith; pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating.

Surviving are a brother, 0. Avey. of the home: a sister, Mrs. Maud Widmeyer, Wytheville, Va., and several nieces and nephews.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, April 2013. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

I always welcome comments and corrections.

I live outside the Oklahoma City area, I cannot personally do any research for you. However I will try to direct you to someone who may help you if you can't find what you want here. Please understand ALL information on this site was contributed by people like you. If it's not on the site, I don't have it. Thanks