October 31, 1932 ~ December 29, 2015
Memorial Services for Mrs. Dolly J. Jemison, 83, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma will be held on Thursday, January 7th, 2015 at 11:00 a. m. at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Michael Dye officiating. Mrs. Jemison passed away on December 29th, 2015 at the Family Care Center in Kingston, Oklahoma.
Dolly Jean Jemison was born in Covington, LA on October 31, 1932 to Robert and Doris E. Whitfield.
She was preceded in death by her parents Robert Whitfield, Doris Snider and step father Charles L. Snider and brother Robert Whitfield, Jr.
Survivors include husband, Ernest Samuel Jemison, son Russell Jay Jemison and his wife Rebecca, son Robert Charles Jemison and his wife Robin, and daughter Barbara Jean Levins and her husband, Rathan. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a close friend and cousin, Caroline Woodward, and many nieces, nephews and other cousins.
While in high school, she was a drum majorette, marched in several Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, and was also the Louisiana State runner-up for FFA queen. She graduated in 1951 and married Ernest S. Jemison on June 8, 1952. While Ernest was in the Navy, she worked for attorneys in New Orleans. Upon his discharge, they moved to California, where she worked as an Arthur Murray dance instructor while Ernest worked on his degree. They started their family while in California. From there, she and Ernest moved back to Louisiana where she continued to work to help Ernest complete his degrees. After living on several Wildlife Refuges in Louisiana, she and Ernest moved to Tishomingo, OK, when he became manager of the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. They completed their family in Tishomingo and retired there in 1994.
While in Tishomingo, Dolly worked at Murray State College and the First State Bank. She was a long-standing member of the First United Methodist Church in Tishomingo, enjoyed many arts and crafts, including oil painting, basket making and cooking wonderful meals based on her Louisiana roots. She was a loving wife and a dedicated mother to her own children and many others in the community. Her presence and love will be sorely missed by all who knew her and held her dear.