Emily Paschal MacIvor

Emily Paschal Hunt MacIvor joyfully joined her savior, Jesus Christ, and all of the saints who went before her on Sunday, August 29, 2021. Paschal lived her life to the fullest of every moment of her 94 plus years. And she lived to glorify God.

Paschal was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma on June 28,1927 to James Chapman Hunt and Claudia Corrine Rice McCarthy Hunt. Her family lived in many towns in Texas, including Corpus Christie, Galveston, and Houston before they ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Along the way, her siblings Jan Chapman Hunt and James “Jay” Chapman Hunt, Jr. were born. “Emily Pat,” or sometimes “Patty,” attended elementary, junior high, and high school in Texas. Paschal’s powers of memory were extraordinary and she delighted in taking road trips to Texas and Tulsa to show her children the homes where she lived as a child and the schools she attended. Every destination had a story of adventure and intrique, accompanied with lively discussions, and always punctuated with an important and valuable life lesson.

Paschal attended University of Texas as a Freshman and loved the pursuit of Journalism. She quickly became involved with campus activities such as Kappa Kappa Gamma, musical revues, and that staple of Texan lore, campus beauty contests, which she humbly won with regularity. She just couldn’t help it. She was a natural at so many things:). When her family moved from Texas to Tulsa Oklahoma, she followed, enrolling at Univeristy of Tulsa and pursiung her degree in Journalism. Here, she helped found the charter chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at University of Tulsa, joined all kinds of clubs, and was cast as a special chorus girl in the big campus musical. It was here that she would meet the love of her life and future husband, Roderick Ken MacIvor, aka Rod, who was the male lead in the musical. The rest, as they say, is Herstory. Rod and Paschal dated and fell in love. They married on May 31, 1952 and embarked on a remarkable honeymoon adventure with the destination of Acapulco, Mexico. When they returned, they moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where Rod was working as a Petroleum Engineer.

The next year they added their first child, Roderick “Duncan” MacIvor in 1953. They joined a growing group of young enthusiasts who were expanding the boundaries of Oklahoma City and building new homes in this new wilderness called The Village. By the time their new home was finished at 9721 Village Drive, they welcomed their next child, Jennifer Kirk MacIvor, aka Jenny, in 1954. Laurie Hunt MacIvor followed quickly in 1955, and after a “break,” James Stewart MacIvor, “Jamie,” was born in 1957. This growing family needed more space so in 1958, they moved to 1501 Camden Way, where the family grew up, and then Paschal lived for the next 30 years. The MacIvor clan wandered and wondered through the creeks and parks of Nichols Hills with their neighborhood pals and pups, bound only by the knowledge that they had to be home for dinner. It was a lovely time to be a child and this freedom and safety was important to Paschal. As the family grew, 1501 became a hub of the social community: from Christmas Caroling parties in the 1960s to a haven for the explosion of musical talent that helped define the 1970s. Throughout it all, Paschal did her best to keep the balance for her family. She is still remembered by many who spent time at the MacIvor household in formative years, as a kind and accepting encourager. She was known in the community as the brilliant, funny, beautiful, patient, and hardworking mother of “those wild MacIvor children.” She wore it with style and grace, but mostly, with prayer and love. Rod and Paschal were members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, where their young children attended Sunday school. Pashu came to know her Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, after walking the aisle at a Billy Graham Crusade, circa 1968. Her world would never be the same as she felt led to lead the people she loved to the Lord. From that point forward, Paschal talked to anyone who would listen, and some who would not, about her loving, personal, gracious, and merciful Heavenly Father. She joined Metropolitan Baptist Church and then later moved to Faith Bible Church where she was blessed and edified by the intelligent and purposeful teaching of God’s Word. After Rod passed away, she joined the Single Sisters group. Later in life, members of the Widows group would pick her up for church, and check on her regularly.

Paschal’s favorite job and pasttime was as the intelligent, loving, mother of her children. Edcuation was deeply important to her and her children were early and lifelong readers because of her dedicated reading to them. She was an expert whistler and loved music, encouraging her children to dance, sing, and play instruments with their dad. She was an inventive cook, creating meals out of Campbell’s soup and whatever else was in the cupboard. But it is her sense of humor that set her apart as an extraordinary mom. That and her dedicated love for Jesus. Her focus and her mission on this earth was to bring the gospel to her children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. And we all loved her for it!

Paschal is lovingly survived by her and Rod’s four children. They are Duncan MacIvor, his wife, Janene, Jenny MacIvor Dunning, her husband, Richard, Laurie MacIvor Gillum, and Jamie MacIvor. And for the amazing and blessed ones who call her “Pashu”: Duncan’s and Janene’s children are: Roderick Kirk MacIvor, Kathryn Argylle MacIvor Andersen (Joshua Andersen), Annie Laurie MacIvor Ebert (Jared Ebert), Merry Paschal MacIvor Andersen (Aaron Andersen), and Abigail Rose MacIvor; Jenny’s and Rick’s children are: Hannah Stewart Dunning Sharp (Alex Sharp), Camden Kirkpatrick Dunning, Amelia Caitlyn Dunning Young (Matt Young), Miles MacIvor Dunning (Brandilyn Dunning), Georgia Reilly Dunning, and Isabella Slayden Dunning; Laurie’s and her late husband Tim’s children are: Trevor James Gilllum, Haley Hunt Gillum, and Jack MacIvor Gillum. Pashu’s GREATgrandchildren are: Levin Paschal Andersen, Aegis Noel Andersen, Simeon Bell Andersen, MacIvor Edwin Ebert, Noble Roderick Ebert, Lucy Rocket Ebert, Raines Wilder MacIvor Andersen, Sylvan MacIvor Andersen, Amelia Mae Sharp, Eloise Elizabeth Sharp, Marnie Dunning Bowman, Harvey Dean Young, Marlowe James Young, and Bowie Piper Dunning.

Paschal is also survived by her dearest friend and sister, Jan Chapman Hunt Kirkland, of Tulsa, OK, her beloved sister-in-law and dear friend, Gretchen Hartzog of Christmas Cove, Maine, and her dear sisters-in-law, Kathryn MacIvor of Wichita, Kansas, and Anne Trimble Hunt of Tulsa, OK. Nieces and nephews are Christine Kirkland and son Marland Thomas, Louise Berg and children David and Anna, Katy Kirkland Tahtinen and husband Keith, Annie Hartzog and daughter Sarah, Rod Hartzog and wife Brody, Steve Hartzog, wife Eo and kids Oskar, Scarlett and Lorenza, Matthew Hartzog and daughter Madison, Hartleigh Hartzog Harper, husband Bill and kids Aslan and Wheatley, Luke Hartzog, wife Sarah and kids Alex and Lucian, Joshua Hartzog and wife Sarah, Keith MacIvor, wife Susan and family, Kirk MacIvor, Cathy Hunt Rose, husband Donnie and family, Jayne Hunt Roach, husband Billy and family, Paschal Hunt Rowan, husband Rob and family, Jake Hunt. Paschal is also survived by a loving family of cousins and grand nieces and nephews including Julie and Bud Taylor and family, Dick and Patsy Lowry and family, Junie and Bill Johson and family, Hunt and Christine Lowry and family, John Hunt, Jr. and family, Matt and Celeste Hunt and family, Kevin Harper and family…and a wonderful multitude of other friends and family.

Paschal was predeceased by her husband of 24 years, Rod, when he was taken suddenly at a young age in 1976. She was also preceeded in death by her parents, James Chapman Hunt in 1974 and Corrine Rice McCarthy Hunt in 1995, her brother Jay Hunt, and her precious grandbaby, Rachel Marie MacIvor in 1976.

Pall Bearers are Duncan MacIvor, Jamie MacIvor, Rick Dunning, Rod MacIvor, Miles Dunning, Trevor Gillum, Jack Gillum, Alex Sharp, Matt Young, Jared Ebert, Joshua Andersen, Aaron Andersen.

The family of Paschal MacIvor wishes to thank Faith Bible Church, Single Sisters Group, the Widows group and all of the wonderful caregivers who cared for their wonderful mom and Pashu. Paschal’s message is summed up in two simple phrases: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” and “Jesus loves me, this I know.” Her family was never ready for her to go, but we are joyful she is with her God. We will miss her every day, but she is not gone; she will always be with us. Anyone who knew our mother is blessed by knowing her. We count ourselves doubly blessed to be her children.

The services for memorial, burial, and visitation honoring Paschal MacIvor will be held privately for family members only. Please contact Hahn-Cook Street and Draper for details at 405.848.3744.

In lieu of flowers, Paschal respectfully requests that donations be made to Samaritan’s Purse at samaritanspurse.org, Keystone Adventure School and Farm at keystoneadventureschoolandfarm.com, or Kings Gate Christian School at kingsgateschool.com.