Julia Ann Weinkauf

Judy Weinkauf, matriarch, Chairman of the Board of Weinkauf Petroleum, first female Chairman of the Board of the National Safety Council, and champion of children's and family causes, died on Thursday, December 4, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was 84. Judy's commitment to service left a lasting impact on the Tulsa community and beyond. She was a lifelong caregiver who devoted herself to raising her children and grandchildren and tending to numerous family members and friends in sickness and old age. Judy often stated "life is what happens when you are busy making plans," a quote so aptly suited to her life, she had it embroidered on a pillow. And yet, she deftly managed every trial life threw at her with grace, wisdom, and good humor, while always finding time to spearhead numerous civic projects, co-own and operate her family's oil and gas company and 3,500-acre beef cattle ranch, and keep scores of family and friends fed and entertained. Born Julia Ann Betchan on January 9, 1941, in Lucien, Oklahoma, Judy was the oldest child of Alma Grace (Caudle) Betchan and Jack Edward Betchan, a farmer and bulldozer operator. She spent the first years of her childhood in Perry, Oklahoma, before moving to a farm located in southeast Garfield County. Life on the farm was arduous. Everyone in the family had to contribute. At 11 years old, Judy's responsibilities included cooking meals for her family, changing flat tires, and carrying tubs of water to the home for laundry and bathing. In 1956, she met her husband, Donald Gene Weinkauf, who lived on a neighboring farm. Judy and Don married on March 22, 1957. The early years of their marriage proved the couple's grit, diligence, and commitment to each other in both good and hard times, as they traversed Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle from oil patch to oil patch. The Weinkaufs lived in a mobile home with no air conditioning as their family grew with the addition of their daughter Donnita in November 1957 and son Douglas Kirk in January 1960. Judy often referred to herself as "a child raising children." The family moved to Tulsa in 1962. While Don was away working in the oil fields, Judy managed their household, cared for their children, and learned how to fix things around the house. In 1980, the couple formed Weinkauf Petroleum, which is now led by their son, Kirk. Don and Judy had a true partnership: her hard work and belief in him made it possible for him to achieve his success in the oil and gas industry, and his support and trust in her allowed Judy to pursue her passions and effectuate change in their community and beyond. She had high expectations for everyone, and she led by example. When Judy identified a problem, she would take action and refused to take no for an answer. She was relentless in figuring out how to accomplish her goals and overcome obstacles that threatened to interfere with her plans, and she was not intimidated by a challenge. Judy was first drawn to safety advocacy after her younger sister, Sue, suffered critical injuries in a car accident. This incident sparked Judy's lifelong dedication to make the world a safer place. As president of Tulsa County's Bellaire Extension Homemaker's Council, she led a traffic safety campaign that installed seatbelts at vehicle inspection checks, put up street lights and highway information signs, and affixed reflector tape on hundreds of elementary school children's bicycles. The campaign beat out 33,000 entries from around the country to win a "best traffic safety program" award sponsored by the Allstate Foundation. Her work in safety extended beyond Oklahoma. After holding various positions on the board, she was the first woman to be elected chairman of the board of the National Safety Council in 1992. Some of her other notable projects include leading a seatbelt education campaign funded by the Department of Transportation that reached more than 11 million people and organizing an initiative to promote manufacturing furniture safe for children under a grant from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She tirelessly advocated for children's and family issues, as well. She was deeply dedicated to helping disadvantaged youth and educating families on children's development, nutrition, and safety. Locally, she was involved with several service organizations, including the Pilot Club International, and throughout the 1980s and 90s, she held high-ranking positions within the National Association for Family & Community Education and the Associated Country Women of the World. In 1993, the Michigan State University Institute for Children, Youth, and Families granted her the Fellows Award. From a very early age, Judy's circumstances required her to be a caregiver and leader within her own family. As a child, Judy helped take care of her maternal grandmother after she suffered severe burns and her paternal grandmother following a stroke. These experiences aiding her loved ones engendered the servant mindset that continued throughout her life. During several seasons of life, she sacrificed her own interests to care for family members in the wake of accidents, illnesses, and old age. The trials of Judy's life were met with an unbreakable optimism. She chose to see adversities as opportunities to help others and focus on the ways she had been blessed. She loved hosting and entertaining family and friends. She was an excellent cook and always had a meal ready for visitors. She was meticulous in her execution of an event or holiday, and perfectly planned out every detail from place settings to the timing of courses. Holidays at Mimi's-as she was affectionately known to her family-were magical. She was an excellent gift giver, and carefully curated themes that carried through each person's gifts, wrapping paper, and cards. Her children would joke that nothing Santa brought for the grandchildren could compete with Mimi and Granddad. Judy had a voracious appetite for knowledge. She attended Oklahoma State University and was named an honorary alumni of OSU's College of Human Sciences in 1991. Largely self-educated, when she was interested in a topic, she would seek out books, research journals, or college course syllabi and teach herself. Although she sacrificed a traditional college experience to build her family at a young age, she greatly valued education and provided college tuition to several OSU students through the Donald G. and Julia A. Weinkauf Presidents Distinguished Scholarship. Interior design was a special interest of Judy's. Soon after moving to Tulsa, while shopping for furniture at an estate auction, she purchased a set of textbooks from the New York Institute of Interior Design. She independently completed the coursework, taught herself to wallpaper, paint, and panel, and proceeded to remodel their new home in Tulsa. A few years later, the Tulsa World featured the home. She continued to put her love for design to work for decades to come in her home and those of nearly everyone she knew, including her grandchildren's dorm rooms. She loved to travel. Judy and Don shared that passion and went all over the world together, from Europe to Asia to Africa to Australia and New Zealand. She strongly believed in the importance of understanding different cultures. She made a point to take her children and grandchildren on various trips to educate them on how people in different places lived and how the world worked. She was endlessly delighted by new experiences, sights, and people, and she enjoyed making these memories with her loved ones. Underlying all of this-Judy's commitment to service, dedication to her family, and fervor for learning, creating, and trying new things-was her faith. At age 11, she attended church camp and gave her life to Christ. In her later years, she became heavily involved with her church community at Asbury and pursued intensive bible courses. She was an unwavering Christian and was proud of her convictions. Her devotion to Christ shaped her life, and she shared His love through her acts of service and generosity to friends and strangers alike. In her last days, she was at peace and full of joy at the prospect of meeting her Savior, surrounded by her loved ones. Mrs. Weinkauf, the matriarch of a loving family, is survived by her son Douglas Kirk Weinkauf, and daughter-in-law, Donna Sellmeyer Weinkauf, of Tulsa; younger sister Brittie Sue Pearcy, of Grand Prairie, Texas; son-in-law Dr. William B. Wynn III of McAlester; grandchildren Derek and Megan Weinkauf, of Tulsa, Kent and Madison Weinkauf, of Midland, Texas, Julia and Ama Abreu, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Alana and Owen Cooper, of New York, New York, Sheila and Dr. Bob Todd, of Tulsa, Dr. William B. Wynn IV and Neely, of Tulsa, and Dr. Michael Wynn and Emily of Tulsa; 12+ great-grandchildren; and 7 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 49 years, Donald Gene Weinkauf; her daughter, the Honorable Judge Donnita Weinkauf Wynn; and her parents, Jack and Alma Betchan. Her contributions to the world and the lives of all she knew will be long-remembered and cherished. Visitation will be Thursday, December 11th from 5pm - 7pm at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel. Funeral Service will be Friday, December 12th at 10am at Asbury Church Mason Chapel.

Julia Ann Weinkauf

January 9, 1941 - December 4, 2025