Mary Ellen Meredith

Mary Ellen Milam Meredith passed away peacefully in her home on 12 October 2024.

Born on 3 October 1946 to Betty and Tom Milam, Mary Ellen was raised in Oklahoma City. She attended Christ the King (OKC), Monte Casino (Tulsa), Trinity College (DC), and the University of Oklahoma, where she pursued a degree in Political Science.

At OU she met her future husband Howard Lynn Meredith to whom she was married for 36 years, until his death in 2003. They lived in Kentucky where their son Tommy was born, New York where their daughter America was born, Connecticut, and then back to Oklahoma where their daughter Samonia was born.

Mary Ellen and Howard wrote and edited several books together, including Of the Earth and a biography of B.D. Eddie, and she had a regular newspaper column in Classen Fax and Public Medical News. In her professional life, she sold insurance, worked at Bacone College, then Sears, was a headhunter for First Mates, and, for several years, was Executive Vice-President of an oil corporation.

Her volunteer and creative life brought her the most professional joy. She was a poet from a young age, enjoying the influence of the Beats and E E Cummings, and an avid reader throughout her life. She was the Executive Director of the nonprofit Cookson Institute, co-founder of the Center of the American Indian, a founding board member of ATALM, long-term board member of the Cherokee National Historical Society, and four-year Interim Director of the Cherokee Heritage Center. She curated many art shows and led conferences, mostly for Native American cultural and humanities themes. She served on the Episcopal Council on Indian Work and was an active member of the Junior League of OKC, Westerners International, Pocahontas Club, and the Oklahoma Humanities Council, among others.

She was most proud of being a Cherokee Nation citizen. Raised Roman Catholic, she became an Episcopalian upon her marriage and had been a member of St. Paul’s Cathedral since the mid-1970s. She loved animals, but most especially Cocker Spaniels, of which she had several. Probably best known for her dry and sometimes sharp sense of humor, Emme loved puns and dining with her circle of friends – especially the Salonica Crew at The Lobby each Tuesday.

Mary Ellen is predeceased by her husband Howard, son Tommy, and parents Betty and Tom. She is survived by her daughters, America Meredith (Norman) and Samonia Byford (OKC), her son-in-law Dennis Byford Jr., grandchildren Meredith and Andrew Byford, and her siblings, Sallyann Paschall (Santa Fe), Carleen Burger (OKC), Tommy Milam (OKC), Betsy Sobral (Colorado Springs), Melanie Roth (Alpine), Carl Milam (OKC), and Astrea Fatica (Houston), along with so many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins – especially the Milams, McSpaddens, and Rogers families.

The family is grateful to the wonderful care provided by Donna Fulton of Southern Skies Home Care for the past four years.

Viewing will be at Smith & Kernke at 1401 NW 23rd St, OKC, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, 17 October. The Memorial Service will be at 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, 18 October. Burial will be at the Chelsea Cemetery at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, 19 October.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Little Cherokee Seeds, First Americans Museum’s Family Discovery Center, or St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral (OKC).