Evelyn Marie Mckee

The date was Monday, June 23, 1941, when Tyree and Dessie Lee Wilkerson Jones would welcome the arrival of their first baby, a beautiful daughter they would name Evelyn Marie Jones. Evelyn would grow up in the East Texas town of Pittsburg, TX (Rocky Mound).

Evelyn accepted Christ at an early age at Rocky Mound CME Church. She attended Fredrick Douglass High School where she was a graduate of the class of 1958.

Evelyn attended Texas College in Tyler, TX and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. in April 1961. She received her certification in Special Education from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX, then received her Master’s Degree in Library Science from East Texas A&M University in Commerce, TX (formerly known as Texas A&M Commerce).

In 1962, Evelyn was hired by the Sherman ISD where she began her teaching career at Carver Elementary. In 1966, she became a librarian for several years until she returned back to the classroom in 1970 as a Special Education teacher at Jefferson High School. While in Sherman, she was a member of St. John CME Church.

Evelyn relocated to Austin, TX in 1976, and a year later in 1977, she was selected as Teacher of the Year at Dobie Junior High. She was chosen as Teacher of the Year and received the Tracor Scholar Award at F.R. Rice Secondary School. On September 7, 2006, Evelyn was presented the Apple Award for Educators, by the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Evelyn retired in 1997 after 35 years of working in the Sherman and Austin school districts. She went back to work for Austin ISD in August 2004 until retiring again in May 2019.

Evelyn served as President of the Capital City Lioness Club for 5 years. She was the first president of the newly chartered Lions Club and served on various committees and on the District 2-S3 planning committee and state convention for District 2-S3. Evelyn also served as the first vice president of the Capital City Evening Lions Club. She was also a member of the Austin Area Alliance of Black School Educators.

While in Austin, Evelyn was a faithful member of the Wesley United Methodist Church under Pastor Freddie Dixon, Jr. She loved her Wesley church family and would often talk about the Seven Table Tea hosted yearly by the church. Her table was table 7. She served in many capacities at Wesley UMC, including the Communion Stewardess Board and secretary to the Pastor Parish Relations Committee. She taught Vacation Bible School in the summer and was a former member of the National Council of Negro Women.

After moving to Rowlett, she remained a faithful member of Wesley UMC. When her health started to decline, you could still find her on Sunday mornings watching the church service on her phone. Even though her health had declined, her mind was still sharp as she would often reference different church members’ names.

Evelyn’s hobbies consisted of spending time with family and friends and listening to gospel music. In her early years, she liked to bowl, bake, and play cards.

Evelyn didn’t have any biological children, but she touched so many  lives by being an educator as she followed in the footsteps of her Aunt Odessa Jones-Day.

She was formerly married to Maynor G. McKee; they remained close friends throughout the years.

Evelyn will truly be missed by her family and friends, but God saw her body had gotten tired, and on May 29, 2025 at 6:15 p.m. surrounded by her family at Methodist hospital in Richardson, TX, God called her home.

She is preceded in death by her parents Tyree and Dessie Lee Jones, her brother Charles A. Jones, and her sister-in-law Sherry Farmer-Jones.

Evelyn is survived by her loving brother and sister-in law Ricky and Freda Jones of Rowlett, TX; her nieces: Danita Hashaway (Billy) of Pittsburg, TX; Dr. LaJuan Chambers (Daniel) of Tyler, TX; Kamecha King (Steven) of DeSoto, TX; Brittney Allen (Printice) of Pittsburg, TX; Constance Jones of DeSoto, TX; Kiana and Briana Turner of Dallas, TX; her nephews: Kerchaval Jones (Felcia) of Dallas, TX (her devoted caregivers); Keterrious Jones (Lilian) of Allen, TX (her devoted caregivers); Cederic Woodard of Houston, TX; Jecorick Jones of Dallas, TX; special caregivers Gudia Castillo and Tina Garcia; god-daughter Avanti Winchester-Small of San Antonio, TX; her dear sister-friend Etta Winchester of Austin, TX; great nieces, great nephews, and a host of other family members and friends.

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