On Monday, December 9, 2019, our beloved wife, mother, sister, and “Gran”, Karen Tefertiller, went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, departing peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.
Karen Day Jones Tefertiller was born on July 9, 1935 in Chickasha, Oklahoma, to Wayne Porter Jones and Wilda Lee (Leslie) Jones. She and her younger sister, Waynell, loved to travel with their parents and stayed close with each other all their lives.
Karen was a proud graduate of Oklahoma A&M University (the next year after she graduated it became Oklahoma State University) having majored in Fashion Merchandising. She was one of the most talented people to ever come across our lives, from drawing, crafts, sewing, decorating, cooking, creating art projects, floral arrangements, catering, and a million other things that made her so special.
She met her husband Edward in 1955 in Oklahoma on a blind date and they fell in love. On the same night, her younger sister Waynell met Edward’s older brother Kenneth. On June 23, 1957, Karen and Ed were married at Nichols Hills Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and then the following August, Waynell and Ken were married in the same church. Ed and Karen have been longtime members of the Church of Christ, having been members of the Justin, Texas, Church of Christ since 2002. Upon Karen’s passing, Ed and Karen had been married 62 years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and Wilda Jones; son-in-law, Kevin Rawlings; many brothers-in-law and sisters-in law; and friends that she loved dearly.
Karen is survived by her husband, Ed, of Denton, Texas; daughters, Allison Thibodeaux and husband, Tim, of Grapevine, Texas; Janet Rawlings of Denton, Texas; Jennifer Jones and husband, Ray, of Lake Dallas, Texas; son, Russell Tefertiller and wife, Amanda, of Fort Worth, Texas; seven grandchildren, Brooke, Jordan, Blake, Brock, Matthew, Logan and Nolan; sister ,Waynell Tefertiller of Gainesville, Fla.; multiple nieces, nephews—everyone whom she held dearly close to her heart.
We invite you to remember Karen as she was—laughing, smiling, and most of all, loving. She was truly a loving and talented woman whose legacy will continue long after her passing.
Viewing will be at Mulkey-Bowles-Montgomery Funeral Home in Denton, Texas, on Friday, December 13, 2019 from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., with the service to follow at 10 a.m. officiated by Joe Slater, Ed & Karen’s preacher from the Justin Church of Christ.
Pallbearers will be TJ Jezek, Hayden Heath, Jr., Blake Thibodeaux, Brock Thibodeaux, Ray Jones, Tim Thibodeaux, and Steve Tefertiller.
Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Purcell, Oklahoma at 3 p.m. on the same day. Flowers are appreciated, but if you choose to make a donation, please donate to the Justin Church of Christ or the American Cancer Society.
On line condolences may be made at www.mulkeybowlesmontgomery.com.
