Mary Elizabeth Thigpen

Mary Elizabeth Robertson was born in Gregory, Arkansas December 7, 1916. She married Rev. Charles R. Thigpen September 4, 1938 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her journey came to an end December 22, 2013 in Oklahoma City, OK.

Mary Elizabeth lived in Little Rock, AR during her early life and considered it home. She completed her education in business at Little Rock College where she graduated Phi Theta Kappa. She then married and began a life of service with her husband at Methodist Churches in Piedmont, Perry, Elk City, Blackwell and Ponca City, OK as well as three churches in Oklahoma City—St. John’s, Nichols Hills and Wesley UMC. With her husband, she moved to Albuquerque, NM where he was Superintendent of the Albuquerque District of the United Methodist Church and as pastor of two churches in Albuquerque—First UMC and St. Paul’s UMC.

Mary Elizabeth embraced her role as a helpmate for her husband in his calling to the ministry. She fulfilled her part of the ministry with a dedication to church, home and family. She loved to study and teach classes on a variety of subjects including the Bible. She visited hospitals, nursing homes and shut-ins to extend the outreach of the church and entertained may church groups in their homes. She believed in her family and encouraged each member to reach for their dreams including the recording of 5 albums by her husband.

Mary Elizabeth was a member of P.E.O. for over 50 years and served in all offices several times, except for guard. She belonged to six chapters, the latest being Chapter AI in Oklahoma City.

After retirement she and her husband spent many years in the Albuquerque area enjoying their mountain home and their network of friends. They moved to Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City, in 1994 where she continued her active life as a member of the line dancing troop and writing class to challenge herself physically and mentally.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of seventy years. She is survived by two sons and their wives, Charles Jr. of Oklahoma City and John of Venice, FL. She has five grandchildren: Rexx Thigpen, Bonnie Byrne, Stacy Hall, Temple Thigpen and Brian Thigpen. She also has six great grandsons.

Memorial Services will be at the Brill Chapel at Epworth Villa, Friday Jan. 3rd, 2014 at 11:00 am.

The family prefers memorials to the Charles and Mary Elizabeth Thigpen Scholarship fund at Oklahoma City University, 2501 N Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 or Epworth Villa Benevolent Fund, 14901 N. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, OK 73134