Ollie Mae Marris, 78, of Madill, Oklahoma passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born on June 14, 1947, in Talihina, Oklahoma, to the late Charley John and Pauline (Lewis) John.
Ollie Mae was raised in Ardmore, where her values of faith, perseverance, and pride in her Choctaw heritage were firmly rooted. She attended Carter Seminary School in Ardmore, Oklahoma and continued her education at Haskell in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating in 1966.
On March 25, 1967, Ollie Mae married Carl Winston Marris, at Pickens Baptist Church in McMillan, Oklahoma. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, and community.
Ollie Mae devoted her professional life to serving Native children and families, working as an Indian Education Coordinator for Madill Public Schools. She was a strong advocate for Native education and proudly supported the Johnson O’Malley Indian Education Program. She enjoyed traveling to Johnson O’Malley conferences where she formed lifelong bonds with Effie Gibbs, Teresa Bolin, Kim Smith, Esterline Stick and the late Etta Johnson.
Ollie Mae was a faithful member of Archard Road Baptist Church in Madill and enjoyed shopping, sewing and helping other people. Above all, Ollie Mae was extremely proud of her children and grandchildren, whom she loved fiercely and spoke of often.
She is survived by
Husband: Carl Winston Marris of Madill, Oklahoma
Children: Charles Marris and Kimberly Yates of Marietta, Oklahoma
Valerie McDonald and husband Jeff of Kingston, Oklahoma
7 Grandchildren: Amber Kosmicki of Charlotte, North Carolina
Justin Marris and wife Michele of Dean, Texas
Kristen Marris Oates and husband Warren of Canberra, Australia
Brandon Marris and wife Sarah of Aubrey, Texas
Caleb McDonald of Kingston, Oklahoma
Sydney Marris and partner Jameson Parks of Superior, Colorado
Kobe Carlile and husband Jimmie of Madill, Oklahoma
9 Great-grandchildren: Henley Marris, Haidyn Marris, Hadleigh Marris, Nashoba Marris, Autumn Marris, and Aurelia Parks, Kamille Rose, Jhett Rose and Kloe Welch,.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Charley John and Pauline (Lewis) John; her grandmother, Ollie John; her brother, Walter John; and her sister, Patsy Willmond.
Ollie Mae Marris will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her fierce pride in her Mississippi Choctaw heritage, her dedication to education, and her deep, abiding love for her family. Her legacy lives on in the generations she nurtured and the lives she touched.
Obituary provided by Watts Funeral Home.