Joan Marie (Fenn) Teague, age 96, left her earthly home and family in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 7, 2025 to be with her Lord. Joan was born October 14, 1928, in Grinnell, Iowa to Roger Purdy Fenn and AliceMyrtle (McGee) Fenn.

Joan’s life was characterized by her devotion to her family, her Church, and her love of music. Joan’s life of music began as the oldest daughter of one of Tulsa’s respected music families. Her father was a music educator who organized instrumental music programs and taught in Tulsa Public Schools before becoming professor of instrumental music at the University of Tulsa. Joan played flute and piano and loved to sing. All three of her siblings also became accomplished musicians. After graduating from Tulsa Central High School in 1946, Joan continued her music education at the University of Tulsa. On the suggestion of her professor father, another student and music major, Rex Teague, introduced himself to Joan. The two were married on May 30, 1948. Joan left college in order to allow her husband to pursue a career in music education. Rex enjoyed a long music career as a vocal and instrumental musician and teacher, and also as a church choir director in Tulsa. Joan participated in church choirs or often filled the role of church pianist or organist. She frequently provided her strong, beautiful, soprano voice for solos or with Rex in duets for church services. She was also active in choir activities at the University Village retirement center in Tulsa, where she spent her last days, even after she could no longer see the music. Joan grew up in the Methodist church. She gave her life to Christ at a Methodist church camp at age seventeen. When she and Rex married, she changed her denominational affiliation to Southern Baptist. Her commitment to Christ and to His Church was unwavering. Not a day passed for Joan that didn’t include time for prayer and reading her Bible. She rarely missed attending Sunday morning services at Parkview Baptist Church in Tulsa even in her final years. When she did miss, she often attended services provided at University Village or listened to a service on the radio. Joan passed her legacy of faith on to all of her children.

Joan’s greatest devotion was to her family. After college, she worked to help support her family. Her first job was as a telephone switchboard operator for Cities Service Oil Company in Tulsa. After working for a Tulsa personnel service, Joan was made manager of Kelly Girl Services in Tulsa. She and her brother-in-law, Gene Whiteford, later expanded her business to include Kelly Labor. Even as a busy professional woman, Joan made time for being a devoted mother of four. Both she and Rex were very active in their children’s school, church, music, and other activities. Joan and Rex had always prayed for six children. After their four were grown, they stepped in to ensure the security of two more—their granddaughters, Tabatha Nanette and Ahna Katrina, whom they adopted. God surely works in mysterious ways. Tabatha and Ahna were provided the same love and devotion as their other four children. Joan never missed a family birthday. From children to great-great grandchildren, she remembered everyone, sending out dozens of cards every year. And every Christmas included an original Christmas poem penned each year by Joan and mailed to every family address as well as to many friends. Somehow over so busy a lifetime, Joan also found time to oversee the Miss Tulsa State Fair pageant several years and help organize the Mrs. Tulsa pageant, be active in the League of Women Voters, regularly serve as an election officer at her polling station, produce several books of family genealogy research, and even take on the role of Bloody Mary one year in the Cleveland Community Theater’s production of South Pacific.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Roger and Alice Fenn; her husband of 62 years, Rex Teague; and her brother, Rod Fenn. She is survived by her daughters Marie Hough, Tabatha Bert (Christian) and Ahna Teague; her sons, Patrick Teague (Madeline), Michael Teague, and Mark Teague (Karen); her sister, Mary Ellen Whiteford (Gene); her brother, Duane Fenn (Chris); 11 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Joan will lie in state Wednesday, July 16, at the Ninde Brookside Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. Her funeral will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 17, at the Ninde Brookside Chapel and she will be laid to rest following at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Ninde Funeral | Mosaic Memorial Cremation | (918) 742-5556 | ninde.com