Mrs. Mary Jo O'Neal Bagnetto

MARY JO O’NEAL BAGNETTO Mary Jo O’Neal Bagnetto was born December 31, 1927 in Coalgate, Oklahoma to Mary Nellie Welker O’Neal and Alvin Lewis O’Neal. She passed from this life on Sunday, February 28, 2016 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 88. A celebration of her life will be held Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Adams Boulevard Church of Christ with Dave Hammonds officiating. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at Stumpff f Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lucien Bagnetto scholarship fund at Harding University or the charity of your choice. Mary Jo, known as Jo to her family and friends and Noni to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, was the youngest of 9 children and the only girl who survived. When she was 5 years old, her family lived in Morris, Oklahoma where her father was county school superintendent. In preparation for a move to Ada, Oklahoma, her father and an older brother were killed in a car accident. Jo and her mother subsequently moved to Quinlan, Texas where her mother worked as a nurse at Boles Children’s Home. The home had its own school where Jo excelled in music and academics. She often said she read every book in the library and received an excellent Christian education. She also began taking piano lessons which would provide joy for the remainder of her life. Jo graduated from high school at age 16 and then attended Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas on a music scholarship. At 19, she graduated from Harding with a degree in English and in 1948 married Lucien Bagnetto, Jr. whom she had met while in college. After Lucien completed graduate school at Louisiana State University, they returned to Searcy where they both taught at Harding University. They later moved to Detroit, Michigan and then to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where Lucien taught at the fledgling Central Christian College which later became Oklahoma Christian University. He also began a career at Phillips Petroleum as a research chemist and when the college moved to Oklahoma City, the family stayed in Bartlesville. Jo also worked at Phillips until she could buy a piano and save for the down payment on a house. Jo and Lucien were married for 48 years until his death in 1996. Jo was a devoted mother and Noni who loved her children and grandchildren fiercely. She was an active stay at home mother who supported her daughters in all their activities, especially their love of reading and music. During the girls’ early years she was a Girl Scout leader and active in their musical endeavors. When her daughters were in high school and college, she went back to work as a designer at Bartlesville Florist. She was a talented seamstress and her daughters were proud to wear the beautiful clothes she designed and made for them, including their wedding gowns. She was a long time member of the Church of Christ and a member at the Adams Boulevard congregation. She loved studying scripture and taught ladies’ Bible classes for over 50 years. She also spoke for special Ladies’ Day events in Oklahoma and Texas. Her husband spent many Sundays preaching and encouraging small Churches of Christ in Oklahoma and Kansa and she often travelled with him and supported him in his work. Jo was active in garden club, Musical Research Society, various bridge clubs and was a season ticket holder for the Bartlesville Symphony even when her health deteriorated to the point she could rarely attend. She shared her musical gifts not only by using her beautiful singing voice, but also by arranging music and directing a wedding chorus for many years. Numerous brides could not imagine getting married without her musical presence. When her health necessitated her relocating to The Villages at Southern Hills in Tulsa, she was thrilled to discover a grand piano in the community gathering room. She often played after meals, to the delight of other residents and visitors. Her talent and love of music have been passed down and are now being seen in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jo was preceded in death by her husband, Lucien, her grandson Randall H. Parks, and her parents, siblings and cousins, all of whom she dearly loved. She is survived by her daughters Rebecca Parks (Leslie) and Susan Wright (Tom), grandchildren Michael Parks (Shelly), Emily Krause (Michael), Eli Shell (Selena), Lindsey Johnson (Jay), Kendall Buckley (Ryan), and Matthew Wright along with 9 great-grandchildren and her many nieces and nephews. She was also a second mother to many special friends through the years. Jo passed from this life and peacefully stepped into glory with her daughters at her side, holding her hands and loving her on her journey. She was sustained by her faith, her love of family and friends and her music until the very end. Some of her last words were to tell those close to her how much she loved them and that she knew they were praying for her. Friends who wish may sign the online guest book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org.

Mrs. Mary Jo O'Neal Bagnetto

December 31, 1927 - February 28, 2016