Jean Shouse Berry

Jean Clark Shouse Berry, died peacefully early Tuesday, March 4, 2014 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 92. Although Jean was a longtime Oklahoma resident and supporter, she had moved to Dallas for health reasons. Throughout her life she held her family, her friends, and service to her community very close to her heart. Her cheerful and generous spirit along with the high standards she exemplified will be missed by all. Jean was born May 1, 1921 to Vera and Glenn Clark in Ponca City, OK. Jean took great pride that both sets of her grandparents were in the Oklahoma Land Run. Her family eventually sold some of their land in Norman, OK to the state to be used for the future University of Oklahoma, where her father later played football. She grew up in Ponca City, graduated from Ponca City High School in 1938, attended Lindenwood Women’s College in Missouri for one year on a tennis scholarship, and graduated from Oklahoma University in 1942. She received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of the Ozarks, Clarksville, Ark. in 1990. Jean always felt she had been married to two outstanding men. As the war broke out in 1944 Jean married James Garnett Shouse of Muskogee, OK and they had three children together. Jim preceded her in death in 1954 from polio. Jean married Everett Edward Berry, of Stillwater, OK in 1961 and they both were an active and integral part of the Stillwater community until his death in 2003. Jean was a dedicated civic volunteer, participant, and leader at both local and state levels. In college she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and served as their rush chairman. In Stillwater, she served as an Advisor to the Stillwater Collegiate Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma, President of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association, and served on the National Kappa task force for the future vision of the Women’s Fraternity. While living in Stillwater over the past 46+ years, she served as a member, board member, or president of many local civic and church organizations. Among the organizations she served were – Stillwater P.E.O. Chapter U; Oklahoma State University Mom’s Club; Stillwater City Pan-Hellenic Association; Browning Society; Stillwater Arts and Humanities Society; Sheerar Museum; Stillwater Lady Rotarians; and active volunteer for Mobile Meals on Wheels and Stillwater Hospital Auxiliary. Jean was always an active member of a church where she lived. She served as an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church, President of the Presbyterian Women’s Association and also Church Women United, and worked in Stephen Ministry. When asked, she willingly served at the state level on the Board of Trustees of Oklahoma Arts Institute; was the President of Oklahoma State Chapter of P.E.O.; Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the University of the Ozarks, Clarksville, Ark. She was active in the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Oklahoma Heritage Association, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame’s Prix de West Society, and the Gilcrease Museum. Jean’s lifetime of dedication was recognized with the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Awards. As involved as Jean was with the community she was even more devoted to her family. She loved and enjoyed her immediate and extended family and worked to find reasons to get together. She took great pride in her children and is survived by her daughter Janet Shouse Osborne Arnold and her husband Rick of Dallas, TX, and 2 sons - James Clark Shouse and his wife Jane of Dallas, TX, and Clark Lamar Shouse and his wife Sharon of Morrison, OK. Jean also treasured the times she spent with her grandchildren – John and Sunni Osborne of Lubbock; Jim and Shelley Osborne of San Antonio; Anne and Scott Matlock of Stillwater; Jennifer and Jeremy Bruns of Edmond; Clark and Jessi Shouse, Jr. of Glencoe; Chuck Shouse of Morrison; Berry and Brandi Shouse of Morrison; Rod and Chevy Arnold of Cumming, GA; Jeff Arnold of Wichita Falls, TX; Robin and Jeff Quinn of Euless, TX; and Jamie and Bart Mills of Dallas, TX. She is also survived by 14 great grandchildren, as well as loved nieces and nephews. The family will have a graveside service for Jean at Highland Cemetery, Pawnee, OK on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 10:30 am. Memorial services will be at the Stillwater Presbyterian Church at Duncan and 6th Street on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 2:00pm. There will be a reception following the service in the recreation hall. The Poteet Funeral Home of Pawnee has been entrusted with the services. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts in Jean’s memory may be made to P.E.O. Foundation (Treasurer’s Dept. 3700 Grand Ave, Des Moines IA 50312); the First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater (524 S. Duncan Stillwater, OK 74074); or Delta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma (1212 West 4th Ave Stillwater, OK 74074).