Obituary of Willa Hackney

Willa Jean McPherson Hackney, 78, was born October 4, 1927 in Stark City, Missouri the second daughter of seven children of Willie Dale "Bill" McPherson and Lola Agnes Dyer McPherson. Jean attended school in many different places and she graduated from Wheaton High School in 1945 as Valedictorian. After graduation, she worked for a time at the Cardwell Hospital in Stella, Missouri. Leaving there, she attended Nursing School in Pittsburg, Kansas until she met and married Robert (Bob) Preston Hackney in September 1948. Jean and Bob moved to California where Jean worked for a time at a nursing home; then she worked as an accountant at the First National Bank in Downey, California until 1962. During Jean's time at the bank, she attended college and received her B.S. and her M.Ed. degrees. Ron was born during the time Jean Bob lived in California. The family moved to San Angelo, Texas where Jean taught school: kindergarten, first and second grade. After they moved to Oklahoma, Jean went back to Dallas where she taught school until she earned her retirement. Jean and Bob have lived in Oklahoma for several years, now just two houses from their son Ron and his family. Jean has always been an avid reader and she has crocheted and embroidered beautiful things. Now, one of Jean's favorite pastimes is watching the birds at the bird feeders (and the squirrels that steal food). She also enjoys their cat Bubba and frequent visits from her two grandsons. She is survived by her husband: Robert Preston Hackney; her son: Ronald Hackney and his wife Dawn of Broken Arrow; her grandsons: Daniel Hackney and Michael Hackney; Sisters: Anne Moody and her husband Claude of Montgomery, Alabama, Marilyn Maness and her husband James of Stella, MO; Brothers: Bill McPherson and his wife Mildred of Joplin, Missouri, Jim McPherson and his wife Beth of Weston, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob McPherson and Dolores Postma. The family will receive friends from 6-8 on Thursday. Services will be Friday, May 12, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in the Ninde Woodland Chapel with interment following in the Floral Haven Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be made to the Infinity Care Hospice.