Mary Keywood Julian Deese was born December 5, 1917 to Robert McReynolds Julian and Ida Andersen Julian in Atlanta, Georgia. She passed away in Ada, Oklahoma on March 22, 2021.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Frank Deese in 2010. Mary Keywood graduated from a small college in Virginia with a music degree in the mid 1930’s. She taught music in Tuscumbia, Alabama for several years before she married Frank Deese on November 13, 1940. They moved to Atlanta, Georgia when he entered medical school at Emory University in 1941. Mary Keywood worked for the senior executive running the American Red Cross Office in Atlanta during World War II. After the war ended and Dr. Deese completed his military duties with the U.S. Army Air Force Medical Corp, they moved to Ada, Oklahoma in 1948. Dr. Deese joined the Sugg Clinic at 13th Street and Broadway and practiced medicine there for over 35 years.
Mary Keywood spent most of her summers and young adulthood in Tuscumbia, Alabama with her grandparents, Owen N. Julian and Mary Keywood McReynolds Julian. Owen Julian was the son of Lt. Col. William Reese Julian who owned the “Julian House” at 104 N. Dickson, which is often on the tour of historic homes in Tuscumbia.
Mary Keywood’s great- grandparents were Mary Hogan McReynolds and Robert S. McReynolds who built the McReynolds House at 509 N. Main in the 1880’s, that is also on Tuscumbia’s tour of historic houses.
Mary Keywood is survived by her two children, Dr. Julian V. Deese of Longview, Texas and daughter, Keywood Deese Jackson, Senior Vice President and Trust Officer for Vision Bank in Ada and son-in-law, Ben Jackson. She is also survived by four grandchildren: granddaughter, Charlie Deese of Austin, Texas, Elliott Deese of Houston, Texas, Robert McReynolds Jackson of Oklahoma City, and Mary Keywood Jackson of Austin, Texas.
Mary Keywood was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Ada and taught the kindergarten and early grade school children’s music when her children were youngsters in the 1950’s and 1960’s. She was a longstanding member of the Wednesday Morning Music Club that met at the Ada Public Library. She was an avid bridge and tennis player and helped teach her children both skills.
A private family graveside service will be held at Rosedale Cemetery in the Fall. The family has requested that instead of flowers, that anyone wishing to make a donation in her memory please do so to the Music Department at the First United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 566, Ada, OK 74821. Criswell Funeral Home, Ada.
