Born in Garvin, Oklahoma, Jody moved with her family several times before settling in Tulsa, where she graduated from Central High School at 16 years old. She attended Stephens College for one year before transferring to the University of Oklahoma (OU) and joining the Pi Beta Phi sorority, eventually becoming its president. Jody graduated in 1942 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.
Jody met her husband of 72 years, George L. Temple, at The University of Oklahoma. When asked what characteristics first caught his attention, George said, “She was clever, beautiful, and more than anything, she was calm.” These qualities remained constant over the entirety of her life.
They married on the 19th of February 1943, and soon afterward George joined the Navy. They were sent to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where Jody worked as a draftsperson and George as an engineer for the Manhattan Project. Sometimes separated by the war, Jody moved as was possible to be with him, and otherwise stayed in Tulsa with her parents. After the war, they settled in Tulsa, where their two daughters, Donna and Anette, were born.
Jody and George purchased plans and served as their own general contractors for modifications and construction for their first house in Tulsa, where they lived for five years. After moving between Tulsa, Houston, and New Orleans, they finally settled in Houston in 1960.
Jody’s faith was unshakeable. Her love of God was the bedrock of her personal strength and provided the foundation for her marriage. She served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church, was President of the Women of the Church, and was actively involved in many activities such as teaching and bible studies.
A talented artist, Jody was extremely creative. She painted portraits in oil and still life in watercolor, created copper and brass bas relief sculptures, carved wooden mantles and window-valances, and designed, painted, and stitched needlework canvases. A number of window seats and a large Crèche displayed at First Presbyterian Church are among her creations. Her amazing Christmas Stockings are cherished by the family.
Although she never talked about her own accomplishments, she was quite skilled and active. She played duplicate bridge and golf, was a docent at Bayou Bend, and a member of the River Oaks Garden Club, The Junior League, and the Women’s Golf Association of River Oaks Country Club. She and George snow-skied until they were 80 years old.
In the early 1970’s, Jody and George bought a farm with a dilapidated house that she was certain had promise. Together they transformed the old house to its grand and historically accurate state. After extensive research and documentation, Jody accomplished a historical marker for Union Hill Farm, named for the town that had stood on that hill before the railroad diverted the town to Burton, Texas. They shared many years of magical family weekends and holidays with their daughters and grandchildren at Union Hill.
Jody is survived by her daughters, Donna Brown and her husband Bill Stewart, and Anette Edens, and their children and grandchildren: Jennifer Brandon and her husband, Gil, and their three sons, Gil, Jay, and George; Temple Brown and his wife Catherine and their children Lucy and George; Joseph Roberts and his wife Leah; Sarah Roberts and her son Joseph Barrett. Jody was preceded in death by her cherished husband, George Temple, and by her beloved granddaughter, Molly Ann Roberts.
A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 17th of April, at First Presbyterian Church, 5300 Main Street in Houston. Due to COVID-19 precautions, guests must pre-register and seating is limited. Please use the following link to register for the service https://fpchouston.org/caring
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