Mildred Louise McCracken, Ph.D.

Mildred Louise McCracken, Ph.D.

Funeral services for Mildred Louise McCracken will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 25, 2006, in the Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel, with Pat Brooks officiating.

Mildred Louise McCracken was born December 30, 1908, in Chickasha, OK, to Lester Joshua and Bertha Leigh Davison McCracken. She died on Monday, February 20, in Denver, CO.

She grew up in Chickasha and attended Oklahoma College for Women (now USAO), graduating in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts. She received her M.A. in English from the University of Oklahoma in 1934 and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas in June, 1942, the first woman to have received a Ph.D. from that school.

She taught school in Verden and Chickasha public schools, then at Southeastern State College in Durant, where she was Associate Professor of English.

In 1946, Dr. McCracken joined the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts faculty as associate professor of English and chairman of the English department. She was chairman of the division of languages and literature from 1954 to 1956. She served as Professor of English Literature and Foreign Language Department and was Vice President of the Faculty Association in 1972. From 1948 to 1966 Dr. McCracken was director of the OCLA Honors Program. She was named Professor Emerita in 1974 when she retired from teaching.

Throughout her teaching career, she had been active in professional organizations. She was president of Oklahoma Council of Teachers of English in 1955 - 1956, having previously served as vice president, as chairman and secretary of the college section of OCTE and as chairman of the membership committee for four years. She was a past member of the public relations committee of the National Council of Teachers of English. From 1947 - 49, Dr. McCracken was president of the Chickasha branch of American Association of University Women.

Dr. McCracken has been listed in "Who's Who Among American Woman" since its first edition in "Who's Who in the South and Southwest" and the "Directory of American Scholars."

After retiring, her interests included traveling, genealogy, and she was very active in the Daughters of the American Revolution. She attended the Church of Christ, Scientist, in Chickasha and to her last days, loved and studied her religion.

A big grin and a jaunty step, a sense of humor and deep insight into life, an insatiable curiosity, an air of wisdom--all of these played a part in the character of Dr. Mildred McCracken. Even as a child Dr. McCracken was fascinated by the riches to be found in books. She eventually decided to devote her life to a rewarding journey through the lands of poety and prose. She commented once, "The only way I could read everything I wanted was to major in English in college. By means of literature and the vicarious experiences gained therefrom, we are able to crystalize at least some of our thinking and hence are better companions for ourselves and others." To her family she was inspirational not only from her scholastic endeavors, but also because of her love of life, her enthusiasm, her wit and radiant good nature.

She was preceded in death by both parents; three brothers, Jack Davison, Clarence Lester and Ralph Earl McCracken; and one nephew, Jack Davison, Jr.

Sher is survived by a sister-in-law, Peggie McCracken and eight nieces and nephews.

Interment will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home