Joni Terry

Joni Marie Terry was born in Oklahoma City in 1957 to John and Joan Terry.  She was the fourth of five children.  She is survived by her four siblings, their children and grandchildren:  Peggy Pate of Norman, OK and her three sons, Danuiel Pate of Bartlesville, OK, Nicholaas Pate of Coppell, TX, and Patrick Pate of Broken Arrow, OK;  Norma Koehn of Fairview, OK and her three children, Misty Robinett of Enid, OK, Isaac Koehn of Tahlequah, OK and Ashley Koehn of Orienta, OK;  John Terry, III of Enid Oklahoma and his daughter DeAnn Terry Vaughn of Bethany, OK; Melodie Terry of Perry, OK.   Also, Joni enjoyed fifteen great nieces and nephews, as well as three great, great nephews and a niece.

Joni was preceded in death by both of her parents.

Growing up Joni enjoyed the sport of girls’ softball and was quite the player.  She even played for the “Oklahoma City Dolls,” a well- known adult team in the mid 70’s.  After graduating from Capitol Hill High School and striking out on her own, she entered the world of work first being employed by Target Corp., then later with UPS as a driver for about 17 years.  Thereafter, she helped manage a night club in northwest Oklahoma City for a number of years.  At age 50 she decided she wanted a change of pace and moved to Perry, OK.  There she established a new community of friends and relations while working at Phillips OnCue for several years.  Small town living suited her and Perry became her sense of home.

Joni was witty and had a fun sense of humor.  The two things she most valued and enjoyed in life were family and friends and helping others.  She was a super aunt who reveled in spoiling her nieces and nephews.  She had a sensitive, compassionate heart and was always willing to extend a helping hand to anyone in need, even a stranger, by offering whatever support she could, even if it meant she would have to personally sacrifice or do without. Not a person to invest in material things or self-indulgences, Joni’s lifestyle was modest but fulfilled by doing good for others. That made her happy. Of course, she, also, dearly loved her Chihuahua, Meka, which she treated like a child.  They were inseparable.

Although Joni was not a member of a church as an adult or obviously religious, she held a quiet and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, which derived from her earlier years in the church learning about the Word of God and Christianity.  When her illness became apparent, she asked to be baptized and was in Perry, Oklahoma.

An informal Memorial Service to honor and celebrate Joni’s life will be held at Will Roger’s Park North Pavilion in Oklahoma City on Saturday, October 24th at 11:00 AM.  Family and friends are cordially invited to attend.

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