Jerry (Matthews) Sullivan

Lena Geraldine “Jerry” Sullivan, lifelong Seminole, Oklahoma resident, passed away at the age of 99 on Thursday, September 28, 2023. Jerry was born November 17, 1923 in Seminole to Winford Fisor Matthews and Ira Dell (Barnett) Matthews. She attended Seminole Schools and graduated from Seminole High School and she was named Valedictorian of her senior class. She married Herman Cecil Sullivan, Jr. on December 5, 1943 in Seminole. She worked as a secretary in the insurance office of her husband and also in the oilfield.

Jerry was very active in her community and her church. She was a member of the Self Culture Club, the Seminole Arts Council, the Selectones (a women’s singing group in the 60’s), Flower Club, was a bible school teacher, OCWA (Oklahoma Christian Women’s Association), was an SHS Hall of Fame inductee, SHS Band Boosters and served on the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum board of directors. She enjoyed playing tennis, gardening, sewing, weekly lunches with the church ladies and her weekly hair appointment with Glenda Conner.

Jerry loved God, family and her community. She was an active member of the church of Christ at Seminole and taught bible school for many years. She loved and was very proud of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-greats. She talked to anyone who would listen about her family.

Left to cherish Jerry’s memory are her daughters; JoAnn (Jodie) Gilkey and her husband Dick of Edmond, Oklahoma, Jill Reynolds of Seminole, Oklahoma and Nancy Klimkowski and her husband Daniel of Edmond, Oklahoma, grandchildren; Jason Gilkey and wife Debbie, Brad Reynolds and wife Janelle, Greg Reynolds and wife Jaime, Shelly Mercer and husband Brent, Kristen Miller and husband Bobby and Jenifer Hopkins and husband Heath, great-grandchildren; Connor Gilkey, Treasure Gilkey, Preston Mercer, Madison Range and her husband Memphis, Grady Mercer, Christian Cato and his wife Skyler, Carson Cato, Caden Cato, Chyler Reynolds, Gracie Reynolds, Ellie Reynolds, Ruby Reynolds, Jett Reynolds, Levi Miller, Kensley Miller, Maylee Miller, Aislyn Hopkins and Emmitt Hopkins, great-great grandchildren; Lakelyn Cato and Mavery Range (due November 2023), her niece Barbara Ply and very close family friends; Lana Reynolds, Betty Smith, Alice Ratway and Norman and Joyce Boggs, Jim and Donna Hardin, Melvin Moran and the staff at Avonlea Cottage.

She was preceded in death by her husband Cecil Sullivan in 2016, her parents, her daughter; Susan Sullivan, son-in-law; Danny Reynolds and three siblings.

Viewing will be Sunday, October 1 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Monday, October 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Swearingen Funeral Home.

The funeral service for Jerry will be at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at the church of Christ at Seminole, 12040 N. SH-99 with Arpoika Daniels officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery.

Casket bearers will be Jason Gilkey, Brad Reynolds, Greg Reynolds, Brent Mercer, Bobby Miller and Heath Hopkins. Honorary bearers will be the elders at the church of Christ in Seminole and Jerry Renner, Larry Ernst, Alan Morgan and Ted Mann.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations for college scholarships be made to: Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, H.C. Sullivan, Jr. Scholarship Fund #513, 2932 NW 122nd, Suite D., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120-1955.

Arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.