Jean Garner Obituary

Jean’s passing ends a joyous life of 61 years and 4 months shared with Walt. Jean was born and grew up in Shady Point, OK, and graduated from Panama, OK, High School on 12 May 1964. She married who was to become the long time love of her life, Walt, on 16 May 1964, beginning a storybook life of love, devotion, and caring. Walt was in the U.S. Army stationed at Scofield Barracks, Hawaii, at the time of their marriage. Walt returned to Hawaii after the wedding without Jean so he could save enough money to bring Jean to Hawaii to be with him. After all, a Private in the Army in 1964 earned a great big $78 per month. During this period Jean went to Tulsa and lived with her cousin and attended Dron’s School of Business where she learned to operate the 10 key business machine. Jean joined Walt in September of 1964 and shared a beautiful 3 months in Hawaii until Walt was sent to Viet Nam as a Helicopter Door Gunner. Jean returned to Shady Point, OK and lived with her parents and worked at the 5 and Dime store in Spiro, OK, as a clerk awaiting Walt’s return from Viet Nam and a new duty station.

In 1965 Jean was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. A terrible disease that she would live with the rest of her life. She was a real trooper, she never let the disease define her nor did she ever grumble about having it. She and Walt learned all they could about it and worked as a team to maximize her abilities and to live a normal life. After Hawaii, The Army sent Walt and Jean to Ft Belvoir, VA, for Walt to do maintenance on helicopters and for Jean to prepare for the birth of their first child. Here they were, two 19 year olds hundreds of miles from home and family and Jean about to give birth! Jean and Walt had each other and depended entirely on Jesus to take care of them and the new baby. In January 1966, Jean gave birth to a bouncing boy. She insisted that he have the middle name, Leon. So, it was!

In March 66, Walt’s volunteer term of 3 years with the Army was up, so Walt and Jean made the move back to OK and Walt took a Job at National Tank Co. in Tulsa and Jean continued her new role as “Mom”. She did a fantastic job of motherhood. In 6 months a job came open at North American Aviation at the Tulsa Airport working on Apollo Space Craft and Walt Applied and was hired. Within the next 6 months the company lost the bid on a new contract, meaning that a lot of the new hires like Walt would be laid off within the next few weeks. Jean and Walt discussed the news that the Air Force was looking for helicopter mechanics to join the Air Force. Jean agreed that Walt should look into it. So in January 1967, Walt and Jean headed to Sheppard AF Base in Wichita Falls, TX, with their 1-year-old son, Kelly. It was a great time for Walt and Jean, their love for each other continued to grow and mature as they depended on each other.

Twelve months into the AF job, Walt was sent to Thailand with a new Helicopter Squadron to support the War in Vietnam. Again, Jean moved back to Shady point, OK, to be near family to help her with Kelly and with the Diabetes. In Oct 68, Walt, Jean, and Kelly moved to Andrews AFB, Maryland. In Dec 70, Walt completed his 4 years with the AF and the three of them went to Stillwater, OK, for Walt to try his hand at college (OSU). Jean was very supportive, and worked several jobs to ensure that we had sufficient money for food and rent, etc. Jobs she did included hostess work at the Holiday INN restaurant, and a more rewarding job as Police Dispatcher for the Stillwater Police Department. A job she thoroughly enjoyed and was very good at. After two years of school, funds began to run low and Jean missed the camaraderie of military life. So they agreed that Walt should go back into the AF and apply for a Officer Commissioning program where the AF paid for the remainder of the college courses leading to a degree and a position in Officer Training School and a Commission. With Jean’s total support those things happened and after 6 months at Shaw AFB, S.C. Walt and Jean were back to OSU with the AF paying all college costs plus paying Walt a full salary at his last rank of E-5, Staff Sargent. God saw a shared desire to increase the family, so in July 1975, He made it possible for Walt and Jean to adopt a 7 day old baby girl. Jean was thrust into the role of nurturing a newborn and working a full time job as a size and weights clerk for the OK Highway Patrol. You should have seen 98-pound Jean in an OHP uniform! Jean loved the job and all the Troopers adored her quick wit and mother attributes. She was always willing to listen to others with problems or questions. She balanced her home life and her outside work life with finesse and grace, always taking time to love and support Walt in his pursuit of a degree and a commission. 1976 found Walt away from home for 12 weeks at OTS in San Antonio. Jean doubled down and took on the total role of household manager and children raiser.

After Walt’s commissioning, the AF sent Walt and Jean to Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Jean worked at the Navy Base Exchange facility and volunteered as a Dental Technician aboard one of the Navy ships that had been slated for office functions. Jean was afraid of water and also very susceptible to motion sickness but she volunteered to work on the ship because she believed in serving others. In 1979 The AF resigned Walt and Jean to Altus AFB, OK. Jean was involved in all sorts of volunteer activities. She hand made dresses for herself and her then 5 year old daughter for the Officers Club Fashion show. During this time, Jean also worked for the Morale Welfare and Recreation office as secretary and records clerk, still balancing several balls in the air at one time. After 4 years at Altus, Walt and Jean were assigned to the US Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Worth, TX. In 1983 Jean took a job with the Department of Justice assisting with legal case files. In 1985, she accepted a clerical position with a job with the Corps of Engineers in the contracting branch. Her mild manner and warm friendly demeanor quickly made her the GO To Person for contracting information. In 1986, Walt and Jean were reassigned to March AFB, CA. Jean took a job with the Base Transportation Office where she reviewed travel orders and assisted military and government civilian personnel with the movement of their household goods. Walt’s job required that he travel to 12 different AF Bases thus he was gone sometimes 3 weeks out of the month. Jean stepped up to the plate as always, working a full-time job, caring for and raising their daughter and struggling behind the scenes with her Diabetes. Never Complaining.

In 1987, Walt retired from the US AF and moved the family to Spiro, OK. Jean soon took a job at Fort Chaffee, AR with the Contracting Office and Walt took a job with the Corps of Engineers at Fort Worth, TX. Again Jean was left operating the household and primarily raising their teenage daughter during the week. In January 1988 Walt accepted the position of Chief Engineer at Fort Chaffee. And for the next 8 plus years, Walt and Jean spent many happy hours together with family and friends sharing meals, coffee and deserts. In 1995, Jean’s job was abolished as Fort Chaffee was beginning to be closed by the Department of Defense. She was offered a prestigious position as the Secretary for the Control Tower Supervisor at Love Field in Fort Worth, TX. Walt agreed that she should take the position so she moved to Texas. Once again Jean was in charge of operating the household and managing the family while working a full-time job in a stressful environment. And living with Diabetes.

In 1996 Walt took a Civilian position at Altus AFB, OK. Soon after Jean’s work experience enabled her to be offered a job at Altus AFB. She took the job as secretary for the Base Fire Chief. The firemen loved her and affectionately called her “mom”. Once again the family was united and Walt and Jean were very happy. In 2001, Walt accepted a position with the Corps of Engineers in Tulsa with the condition that Jean be hired as well. So all was well until 2006 when the many years of stress and the degradation of health due to Type 1 Diabetes met a climax and Jean suffered a debilitating heart attack requiring a stint and open heart bypass surgery. Working days were over for Jean. She took a Medical Retirement in 2006. Walt retired in 2010 and moved the family to Broken Arrow, OK where they lived for the next 15 years. Walt and Jean attended the New Home Free Will Baptist Church and fell in love with the children’s program and the friendliness of the church folks and their genuine belief in and worship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many life long friendships were created at New Home, most notable was the bond created with Bill and Joyce Cypert and family, and Bill and Helen Bell. Jean just loved them all. She thoroughly enjoyed hearing Bill Bell sing the old Gospel Hymns! In 2024 Jean suffered a near fatal heart and kidney event during a medical procedure. Walt began to have medical issues as well, so the decision was made in April 2025 to move to Fort Worth, TX, to be near family for assistance.

Jean was one of a kind. She was a Prayer Warrior! She truly loved God, her family and people in general. Her compassion, generosity and friendliness touched many lives over her 79 years. To say that she will be missed is a total understatement!

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Lorene Kersh and her twin brother, Jimmy Allen Kersh.

Jean was a devoted wife, loving mother & mother-in-law, and cherished grandmother and great grandmother. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Walt Garner, her son Kelly Garner and wife, Jill of Fort Worth, TX, grandson, Elliot Garner and wife Sara of Ft Worth, TX, grandson, Ethan Garner and wife Cara of Fort Worth, TX, granddaughter Allie Zillweger and husband Adam of Fort Worth, TX, granddaughter Emily Rotramel and husband Braden of Fort Worth, TX, great granddaughters; Austin, Hayden, Hadley and Cadence and great grandsons; Garner, Hudson and Asher, Daughter, Jeanie Garner (Angel) Fort Worth, TX, Sisters, Evelyn Fout and husband Dolphis, Shady Point, OK, Bertha Wiles, Shady Point, OK, Dephna Stacy, Poteau, OK, Brothers, Rufus Kersh and wife Agnes, Poteau, OK, Howard Kersh and wife Patsy, Cameron, OK, Larry Kersh and wife Debra, Hugo, OK, Wayne Kersh and wife Paulette, Monroe, OK, Sister-in-law, Dianna Kersh, Shady Point, OK; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and uncountable friends who will miss her dearly.

There will be two Celebrations of Life for Jean; First service is to be held Friday, 19 Sep 2025 at 11:00 AM at New Home Free Will Baptist Church in Coweta, OK. Second service is to be held Sat, 20 Sep 2025 at 10:00 AM at Holt Funeral and Cremation Chapel in Poteau, OK. The Family of Jean Garner will greet friends from 6 PM – 8 PM on Friday, 19 Sep 2025 at the Holt Funeral and Cremation Chapel, 522 Dewey Ave, Poteau, OK.

Online condolences can be made at www.holtfuneralandcremation.com

“Through Love, Serve One Another”

The Family of Jean Garner has entrusted her arrangements to Holt Funeral & Cremation, 522 Dewey Ave Poteau, OK 74953, (918) 721-0026.

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