Okemah Community Historic Foundation Memorial

Shirely Stewart Matthew-Jordon
 Founder,Treasurer
1/13/1946 – 2/28/2003

Shirley Mae Stewart Jordan was born in Florence Arizona.  She graduated from Tempe High School in Tempe Arizona.  She received an AA Degree from Mesa College and a BA Degree from Ottawa University and were one thesis away from receiving her Masters Degree.
In March of 1968, Shirley put together a team of volunteers from the Okemah Community to help organize Operation Leap, a funded program sponsored by the City of Phoenix which she directed. Operation Leap was a Community Store Front Based that empowered neighborhood people to bring about a change.
Shirley’s quest for knowledge led her to hold various positions with the City of Phoenix for 28 years serving with excellency and many citation awards.  She was an Avon Distributor for 9 years.
Shirley was the Founder of Okemah Community Reunion. Around 1976, Shirley became instrumental in hosting Small Gatherings of friends in her home which ultimately led to Okemah Community Reunion. She served as treasurer on the committee until declining health complications impaired her service to serve.

Augusta Nelson-Knight
Registration Clerk
4/1/1942 – 11/23/2019

Augusta Nelson Knight was born in Doddridge, Arkansas, she was the seventh of thirteen children born to the union of Marvin and Queen Ester Nelson. The family moved to Arizona when she was a baby. Augusta attended the 40th Street School elementary school in Okemah, graduated from South Mountain High School, after high school she attended ASU. Later she received a Business of Administration degree from University of Phoenix.

Augusta worked 25 plus years for the city of Phoenix, one of her early duties was recruiting and screening new firefighters. She contacted men in the community to advise them the city was hiring and needed some diversity in ranks. She worked as the youth program coordinator, this program provided training and employment opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. When the city of Phoenix established a Private Industry Council under the Job Training Partnership Act, she was responsible for staffing the committee and communities. She had interest in politics and campaigned for a seat on the Roosevelt Elementary School District Board. Even though she was not successful in this venue it did not stop her as she successful managed the campaign for Michael Johnson and when he won the Phoenix City Council position, she then served as his Council Assistant.

Augusta was a member of first Institutional Baptist Church for 40 years and a member of the choir for 40 years. Augusta served on the Okemah Reunion Committee as a Registration Clerk until her health started to decline.

Nancy Woodberry Thomas-Jones
Secretary Treasurer
3/17/1949 – 10/11-2020

Nancy Woodberry Thomas-Jones was born in Tempe Arizona, my family settled in the Okemah Community in 1945. Nancy was a member of Willow Grove Missionary Baptist Church during her early adult life.
Nancy graduated from South Mountain High School in 1965, she received a BA degree in Communication Broad Casting from ASU. Nancy was a talent agent for Bobby Ball Talent Agency in Phoenix, Arizona until the company moved to California.
Nancy’s remaining career was with a local newspaper, the Arizona Informant as a secretary receptionist where she retired after 25 years. Nancy was a member of the Eastern Star in the state of Arizona and served as Grand Worthy Matron, she also served on the NAACP board as the secretary for 32 years and held the officer for treasurer for a few years.  Since 1998 she served as the secretary treasurer for the Okemah Community Reunion. Nancy has two sons and two grand-kids.