Jonnie Ann McCaleb

Jonnie Ann (Colwell) McCaleb of Lindsay, Oklahoma, was born on October 1, 1934, near Wallville, Oklahoma, to John William and Gertrude (Brantley) Colwell and was called to Glory to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on December 10, 2024, at her home in Lindsay, Oklahoma, at the age of 90.
Jonnie lived in the Wallville-Hughes area all of her life. She graduated from Hughes High School as valedictorian of her 1953 graduating class. She also excelled in the sports of basketball and softball. She received her bachelor's degree in 1968 from what was then Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma, graduating Cum Laude. She earned her Master of Education degree from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, in 1974. Jonnie began her teaching career in the Whitebead School district and taught the last twenty-two years in the Lindsay school system. She was Lindsay's Teacher of the Year in 1983. She was a lifetime member of the National Education Association and the Retired Oklahoma Education Association.
Jonnie loved going to church and reading her Bible. She placed her faith in God at the Hughes Baptist Church on February 26, 1961. The Hughes Church didn't have a baptistry at the time, but the First Baptist Church of Lindsay was gracious enough to let her be baptized in their baptistry on April 16, 1961, along with her eight-year-old son, Stanley Keith Work. Her favorite Bible verse was Hebrews chapter thirteen, verse five, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee".
Jonnie was a very simple person and loved the simple country life of hearing a rooster crow or watching the squirrels scamper up the trees. She stayed busy all of the time and had many, many hobbies. Jonnie was an avid Oklahoma University sports fan, as well as Thunder Basketball. She loved to read, sew, cook, needlepoint, collect dolls and rocks, and go to bluegrass music festivals with Arthur. Jonnie was an accomplished photographer. She loved to travel and traveled to twenty-nine foreign countries on five different continents. Also, Jonnie traveled extensively in all fifty states. She loved working in her flower and vegetable gardens, as long as her health permitted. Jonnie would have large freezers full of her vegetables, as well as many jars full of canned fruit, pickles, and peppers.
Jonnie was very family-oriented. She loved each family member dearly, and each one had a special place in her heart. They were the highlight and joy of her life. Jonnie was dedicated to her family and to taking care of them. All of the family loved her very, very much. They will dearly and lovingly miss her, but are blessed with many good memories of time spent with her.
Jonnie is survived by her sons, Kenneth Alvin Work of Elmore City, Oklahoma, and Stanley Keith Work of Lindsay, Oklahoma, her daughter-in-law, Linda Hilliard Work of Norman, Oklahoma, her grandchildren, Jennifer, Marie, Jarod, Bethany, Chad, Scott, and Rachel, her great grandchildren, Klayton, Garrett, Jenna, Rosemarie, Caycen, and Mariah, her great great grandson, Haskell, and many other family and friends.
Jonnie is preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Glen McCaleb, her parents, John William and Gertrude (Brantley) Colwell, her infant brother, Leslie Colwell, her infant sister, Nancy Sue Colwell, her son, Jerry Work, and her granddaughter, Leah Work.
A private funeral service to honor the life of Jonnie will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 2:00 PM, at Hughes Baptist church in Lindsay, Oklahoma. She will be laid to rest following the service at Antioch Cemetery in Maysville, Oklahoma.
Services are under the direction of Scott and Angel Wilbourn of Wilbourn Family Funeral Home in Alex, Oklahoma. Condolences may be made to the family at www.wilbournfamilyfuneralhome.com