Obituary for Don Jeans

Don Jeans

April 5, 1939 – October 15, 2021

Don Ray Jeans, loving father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away on October 15, 2021 in Blackwell, Oklahoma. He was born on April 5, 1939 in Orlando, Oklahoma the son of Bill and Margie Jeans. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1961 with a degree in Animal Science.

He met the love of his life Mary York at a 4-H event in 1957 and on August 3, 1958 they married and settled on a farm between Tonkawa and Blackwell. In this union they were blessed with two children, a son Rick and a daughter Belinda. They were married for 59 years before Mary’s death in April 2018.

Don was a Kay County farmer for over 60 years. For many years he farmed side by side with his son Rick and even though they did not always agree on things they both appreciated the natural resources that the Lord had blessed them with. Agricultural has changed over the years and when planting time came it was hard for Don to adjust to the auto steer on the planter. He would always say “if you will just set it up and all I have to do is push a button I’m good.” He especially enjoyed the summers when his grandsons Brady and Chance would come help on the farm. That is when we all realized Don really did have a soft side. Don also enjoyed Amber coming to the field after she helped grandma prepare meals. Oh how he adored his grandchildren. Don and Mary always felt that God had blessed them with such wonderful grandkids.

Don was honored by many local organizations for his support of local youth activities. He also served the community as a board member for the Farmers Coop, Kay County Fair, Union 61 School, and was an active member in the Tonkawa Chamber of Commerce. Don was also a long time member of the Kay County Farm Bureau where he served as National Chairman of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers committee.

Don was a long time active member in the Church of Christ. He served his church as an Elder and Deacon. If there was a need he was willing to help. He took great pride assisting with the annual fish fry each year.

He is survived by his son Rick and his wife Dianne of Tonkawa, and their daughter Amber McFerran and her husband Jacob of Edmond and their beloved son Jace; daughter Belinda Nichols and her husband Tracy of Edmond, and their children Brady Nichols and his wife Shannon of Yukon, and their precious Andyn and her little brother to be; and Dr. Chance Nichols and his wife Mackenzi, and their darling daughters Goldie and Daisy of Los Angeles, California. He is also survived by his sister Lois Hunt of Iowa, sister-in-law Joyce York, sister-in-law Mary Jo York, and extended family sister Charlotte Needham and her husband Jerry, sister-in-law Judy Messenger, Sharon Messenger and brother-in-law Larry Palmore, and several nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his wife Mary, parents Bill and Margie Jeans, brother-in-law Frank Hunt, mother and father-in-law Richard and Ella York, brother-in-law Dale York, Jim York and Pete Cooper and sister-in-law Norma Cooper; and extended family Dorothy Jeans, Robert Messenger, Sam Messenger, and Lavene Palmore.

Don will be remembered as making an impact on so many people’s lives and we can rejoice now that he is in heaven with Mary whom he had missed so much.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on October 21 at the Blackwell Church of Christ with Lanny Jobe officiating. Following the ceremony, he will be laid to rest at Round Grove Cemetery near Ponca City.

Pallbearers will be Tracy Nichols, Brady Nichols, Dr. Chance Nichols, Jacob McFerran, Julio Castaneda and Gale Moore. Honorary pallbearers – The young men who worked on the Jeans Farms.

Rick and Belinda would like to thank Nellie Ocha and Erica Thoms for the wonderful care they provided to their father.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Blackwell Church of Christ Memorial Fund.

The family will greet friends at Roberts Funeral Home from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday October 20.