MARY KERSEY MEMORIAL FUND

Mary Katherine (Lovell) Kersey

2.28.40 - 3.16.21

Mary Katherine (Lovell) Kersey was born Feb. 28, 1940, in a farmhouse east of Moore, Okla., to Joseph Charles Lovell and Zena Vernece (Dollar) Lovell. The family eventually settled south of Noble, Okla., where Mary attended Canada School through eighth grade. She attended Noble High School, where she played basketball and was active in 4-H Club. Mary graduated as class valedictorian in 1958.

On Aug. 29, 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Gerald Kersey. They were married for 52 years until his 2011 passing. After high school, Mary attended the University of Oklahoma, graduating with a degree in home economics. She taught one year at Verden High School before returning in 1963 to Noble High, where she taught until her 1991 retirement. In 2012, Mary was inducted into the Noble Public Schools Hall of Fame.

Mary was an avid Oklahoma Sooners sports fan and loved to travel. She and Gerald were known to hop in their motorhome and take weekslong trips to places like Alaska, Mount Rushmore and other destinations all over the country. In her later years, Mary visited France and Italy.

Fiercely competitive, Mary enjoyed playing board and card games like Skip-Bo, King Oil and dominos with her family. She played piano and organ at Noble's United Methodist Church. Mary loved to cook big holiday meals for family. She was excellent with a sewing machine, even stiching beautiful wedding dresses for multiple family members.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gerald, brother Bill, sister-in-law Carol and daughters Melanie and Michelle.
She is survived by her son Randy and his wife Susan of Noble; two sisters, Martha Jett and her husband Newell of Kearney, Mo., and Pam Rosso and her husband Jim of McKinney, Texas; brother Joe and his wife Pam of Edmond, Okla.; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.