Jess "Jay" Floyd Dudley was born on January 29, 1921, to Floyd and Floy Dudley in Westville, Oklahoma. Following graduation from Westville High School, Jay was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1942. There he served his country during World War II as an aircraft mechanic on the B-26 Marauder. He earned a bronze star for his involvement in the Normandy Invasion and Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he rekindled a friendship with Winifred Whelchel, also of Westville, and the two were married two weeks later. They moved to Tahlequah, OK where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Education and Masters of Science degree in Teaching from Northeastern State University. His first job was as principal at Cave Springs School (Oklahoma) where he remained for 17 years until he took a principal position in Nickerson, Kansas. He later served as a school administrator in Bentonville, Arkansas and Oilton, Oklahoma. Apart from work in the school, Jay loved gardening. He always left the backyard of his home more beautiful than when he arrived. He was also a carpenter and a fixer-upper, but most of all, Jay was the world's greatest Papa to his 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
He and Winifred always remained active in their lives. They volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels, Grace Hospice, the Baptist Ministry Center and Reaching Hands. Additionally, they loved attending as many of their kids' & grandkids' sports events, school activities, concerts, church events, birthday parties, graduations and marriages they possibly could. A grandchild never left the house without Papa telling them how he loved them and how beautiful or handsome they were. More than being an important person in so many lives, he was a Godly man. He was a faithful servant of God and lived by example a Godly life. Jay was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bob Dudley; sisters Oowala Blanton and Frances Alderson; son, Larry Dudley; grandson, Brandt Henderson. He is survived by his wife, Winifred, of 70 years; two sons, Dayne and his wife Kristina and Wayne and his wife Tammy all of Tulsa; two daughters Jayne White and her husband Ron of Springfield, MO and Kelly Henderson and her husband Michael of Tulsa, OK; grandchildren, Brandon White, Shannon McFadden, Kelsey Sanchez and her husband Luis, Courtney Dudley, Dino Henderson and his wife Lenore, Drew Henderson, Rhett A. Henderson, Christian Dudley, Olivia Dudley, McLain Dudley, and Molly Dudley; great-grandchildren, Jesse Henderson, Luke Henderson, Lennon Sanchez and Elijah Sanchez.
(Obit/bio courtesy of Floral Haven Funeral Home, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.)

A Tulsa World video about Jay and Winifred can be viewed at this website (copy and paste link in browser):

http://www.tulsaworldtv.com/Jay-and-Winifred-Dudley-WW2-Veterans-29593877?vcid=29593877&freewheel=91468&sitesection=tulsa