Mary Bernice Shedrick, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, former Oklahoma State Senator and retired attorney, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at the age of 85. She leaves behind a legacy of service, integrity, and love for her family that will be felt for generations.

A Celebration of Life will begin at 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 9, 2026 at the First Baptist Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.

Bernice was born in Chickasha Oklahoma, on August 9, 1940, to parents Irene May Williams-Link and Arthur Cole Link Sr. Her father died when she was only 11 years old and her mother passed two years later. Her and her four siblings were separated, all living with different family members or friends. Bernice moved for a short period of time to Wynnewood, Norman, and then to Edmond, Oklahoma, where she met her husband. They were married for 37 years then divorced in 1995. They remained close friends until his death in 2006. Together, they had three children and resided in Stillwater. Bernice earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Oklahoma State University.

Bernice taught in the Stillwater Public School system from 1969 to 1980 before running for a seat in the state senate.

Bernice was shaped by the values of hard work, fairness, and community that would guide her throughout her life. From an early age, she showed a deep concern for others and a belief that systems could-and should-be better, especially when it came to opportunity and education. Those convictions never left her.

At the age of 40, Bernice chose to return to school to pursue a law degree at Oklahoma City University School of Law. In 1980, she was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate, representing District 21, where she served with distinction until 1996. At a time when women were rarely seen in state leadership, she stood as one of the earliest women elected to the Senate and, for much of her tenure, its only female member. She carried that responsibility with quiet resolve, earning respect not through volume, but through preparation, intellect, and unwavering principles. She did not seek the spotlight, but she never stepped away from work.

Bernice became a powerful and enduring voice for public education. She was the principal Senate author and chief architect of the Oklahoma Educational Reform Act of 1990 (HB1017), landmark legislation that reshaped how public education functioned in the state at a moment when Oklahoma's schools faced serious funding and performance challenges. She also authored the legislation that created the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (HB1286), an institution that continues to serve some of the state's brightest students. In recognition of her vision and leadership, the OSSM library proudly bears her name.

In 1994, Bernice ran for governor, traveling extensively across the state and engaging directly with communities on issues of fairness, education, and ethical leadership. Her dedication to public service extended well beyond her years in elected office and was marked by integrity, thoughtfulness, and deep respect for others.

Bernice's accomplishments were recognized through numerous honors and awards. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1996 and received the Henry G. Bennett Award from Oklahoma State University in 1994. Her academic excellence was acknowledged through Phi Kappa Phi membership, awarded to the top ten percent of her graduating class at Oklahoma State University, as well as the American Jurisprudence Award.

Her legislative and civic leadership earned her recognition for distinguished service to "Children Under the Age of Six in Oklahoma," along with honors from the Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Department of Vocational Education, and the Oklahoma Retired Teachers Association. She received the Outstanding Contribution Award from the University Center at Tulsa in 1993 and the A.C. Hamlin Award from the Black Caucus of the Oklahoma Legislature in 1991. She was named one of the Top Ten Legislators by The Oklahoma Observer in 1984, 1989, and 1990.

Bernice was also nationally and internationally recognized, being listed in Who's Who in American Politics, Who's Who in the Politics of the Southwest, and Who's Who of American Women in Politics. She was honored as Outstanding Young Woman of America and Outstanding Jaycee Jayne of the Year and received awards from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma School Counselors Association.

Her leadership extended to global and professional forums. She participated in the International Roundtable on Education Finance and Reform at Oxford University in 1991 and was a presenter on "Women Leaders in Congress" in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1994 and in Yemen in 1995. In 1993, she attended Harvard University's Graduate School of Education Joint Institute with the National Conference of State Legislators on "Better Education Through Informed Legislation."

In later years, Bernice continued her commitment to ethical governance, serving on the Oklahoma Bar Association's Commission for Professional Responsibility from 2003 to 2004 and as a Commissioner on the Oklahoma Ethics Commission from 2004 to 2007.

Together, these achievements reflect not only what Bernice accomplished, but how she accomplished them through principled leadership, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to public service.

Bernice was an active 50-year member of the Chapter U., PEO, a sisterhood of women with a shared mission, where women motivate, educate, and celebrate women. She dearly loved all of her sisters in Chapter U.

After retiring from the Senate, Bernice continued serving the public as an administrative law judge. She ran a successful law practice while co-founding Shedrick Management, L.L.C. with her late husband, a thriving business that is still operated today by her children and grandchildren.

Yet, as meaningful as her professional legacy is, those closest to her knew that her greatest pride and joy was her family. To them, she was simply Mom and MeMe-a steady presence, a source of wisdom, and a fierce, unconditional love. She showed her care in countless ways: through guidance freely given, traditions faithfully kept, and an unshakable belief in her children and grandchildren. Her home was a place of warmth, conversation, and belonging.

MeMe was known for raising her children and grandchildren to bleed orange for her beloved Oklahoma State University. One of her greatest joys was watching each of her grandchildren walk across the graduation stage at OSU, and later witnessing her great-granddaughter begin her early childhood education there as well. Through football games, homecoming parades, and lifelong traditions, she instilled loyalty and pride in her alma mater - always faithful and true to O-S-U.

Summertime meant family, friends, and the cherished Fourth of July celebrations at Yost Lake Country Club. These gatherings became legendary, filled with three-legged races, turtle races, bike races, Papa Mike's watermelon stand, and a talent show that never failed to bring laughter and smiles year after year. Those days captured the joy she found in togetherness and the memories she worked so intentionally to create.

Bernice loved her cat, Hoffman, and spent her spare time volunteering in the community and in education. She treasured trips to Grand Lake and time spent with those she loved. A proud member of the Choctaw Nation and an active member of her church, she lived her values daily. She was a loyal and unwavering friend, one who showed up, listened, and cared deeply.

Her spirit always came alive during Christmas, when she hosted her legendary Christmas Eve parties that brought everyone together - and, of course, Santa was ALWAYS there. Christmas morning was filled with laughter and cheer, with joyful screams echoing through the house as presents were opened, loud enough for all to hear.

Annual easter egg hunts at her home were another tradition she perfected. Her grandchildren searched high and low, inside and out, exploring every nook and cranny for hidden eggs, and delighted in gathering together to open up every egg one by one.

Her love was often captured in the handwritten notes she sent - marked by underlined phrases and words written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS for emphasis. A simple five-minute phone call to check in meant the world to her, and to those lucky enough to receive it. Whether traveling together to San Antonio, the mountains to ski, or spending quiet time at the Circle H Ranch, moments with her children and grandchildren brought her pure happiness.

A confident woman of strong character, Bernice lived by unwavering values of love, learning, labor, and loyalty. Her family was her pride and joy. She was Mom. She was MeMe. And she will always be loved.

Bernice is survived by her daughter, Crystal Shedrick Hayes and son-in-law Roger Hayes; her son, Steven Link Shedrick (Denise Shedrick); her grandchildren, Dustin Taylor Hayes and Hunter Shedrick Dinkel (Brennen Dinkel); her great granddaughter Zoey Marie Hayes; and her sister Judy Augsperger, along with numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, R. Mike Shedrick; her son, Scott Shedrick; her granddaughter, Lindsey Sommer Hayes; her brothers John Link, A.D. Burtschi, Robert Link; and her long-time friend and companion Bob Cullison, all whom she carried in her heart always.

Bernice Shedrick will be remembered as a trailblazer, a public servant, and a woman of deep principle-but most of all, as a loving matriarch whose strength, compassion, and example shaped the lives of those around her. Her legacy lives on in the laws she helped shape, the institutions she helped build, and the family she loved so dearly.

With heartfelt thanks, Bernice's family acknowledges her doctors and the entire staff at Legacy Village of Stillwater, along with their church, family, and community, for the prayers, compassion, and support that carried them through this profound loss.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family asks that donations be made to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics,1141 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 or that acts of kindness be performed in Bernice's honor.