Jerry Rushing Currence, 81, of Durant, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2021 at Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas. He was born Jan. 21, 1939 in Broken Bow, Okla. Jerry was a devoted husband, proud father, and doting Papa, as well as an avid golfer, OSU football fan, and dog lover.
Jerry attended high school in Broken Bow, graduating from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s in Education. An active member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, he was voted “Friendliest Boy on Campus,” and supported his alma mater throughout his life, serving 20 years on the alumni board.
Jerry married JoAnn Hopson in 1959. They were married for 47 years and were parents to two wonderful children, Mande Sue and Kurt.
Jerry proudly served in the Army National Guard. His first job was at the McCurtain County Savings & Loan in Idabel, Okla., and he later became president of that same institution. His banking/savings & loan career took him throughout the state of Oklahoma, then he returned to Idabel and taught for 14 years at Kiamichi Technology Center, as the Small Business Management/Self Employment Training Coordinator before retiring in 2001.
JoAnn passed away in 2007 at the age of 67. Jerry later married Pat Hervey, and they lived at Silverado Golf Course for several years, where Jerry enjoyed playing golf with his friends and family. Jerry and Pat loved traveling together, with one memorable trip taking them up the Pacific Coast and into Canada.
Jerry and Pat have regularly attended First United Methodist Church for many years, and love their church family. Jerry was passionate about landscaping and kept an immaculate lawn. His favorite thing to do was spend time with his family, and he especially enjoyed watching OSU football with his kids. Jerry also joined a group of friends for breakfast at McDonald’s several times each week.
Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn Currence; his brother, Elwood Earl Currence and parents Earl and Cecil Currence.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Pat Currence of Durant; daughter and son-in-law, Mande and Clint Marcum of Durant; son and daughter-in-law, Kurt and Faith Currence of Durant; stepdaughter and son-in-law, Amy and Mike Cook of Durant; grandson Taylor Marcum, his wife Heather Marcum, and great-grandsons Beau and Brooks Marcum of Durant; and granddaughter, Chelsea and her husband Daniel Wallace, of Tulsa, Okla.
A memorial service will be scheduled in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Alumni Association or the American Heart Association in Jerry’s memory.
Services are under the direction of Holmes~Coffey~Murray Funeral Home in Durant, Okla. www.holmescoffeymurray.com