BROKEN ARROW, OK: A celebration of the life of Dr. John David Jennings will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 21
, 2016 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. John ‘Doc’ Jennings, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, passed away on Friday, May 13, 2016 at his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma surrounded by loving family and friends. He lived an amazing 64 years.
Born in Westfield, Massachusetts on November 27, 1951 to John James and Helen Marie (Porter) Jennings, he was one of five brothers and sisters. He attended school in Westfield until his junior year in high school and then the family moved to Virginia where he graduated from Albermarle High School in 1969.
Shortly after, John volunteered to serve his country and enlisted in the Air Force at 17. He went through basic training at Lakeland Air Force Base in Texas. He then went to Chanute base in Illinois before going to Otis AFB to work in the hospital emergency room. His love for helping those in need grew from there and he became a Medical Service Specialist and then the Medical Technical Emergency Room Shift Supervisor. After his service was complete, John was honorably discharged in September of 1973 as a Staff Sargent and Medical Service Specialist. He would foster that passion for healthcare for the rest of his life.
A few years down the road, John met the love of his life, Martha. They were truly best friends and married in 1984. He was a wonderful husband and father to his three children. His greatest joy was having his growing family around him, adoring the grandchildren and savoring every moment he spent with them. Also, always curled up by his side, were his devoted and loving fur babies, Birdie and Bogie.
After his military service, John graduated from Dartmouth Medical School as a Physician Assistant. He then earned his Medical Doctor Degree in 1985 from Spartan Health Science University. John then completed his internship and residency in Family Practice and Sports Medicine at the University of Alabama Birmingham. He completed his schooling by earning a Master’s Degree in Education in 1988.
John became a part of the Broken Arrow community in 1988 when he opened his practice with Hillcrest Medical Center-Utica Park Clinic. He spent many years growing with them, as well as spending a few great years with St. John Medical Center, before returning home to Hillcrest for the rest of his career. All those years he was known simply as “Doc.” John loved taking care of his patients and his patients loved him. He made himself available 24/7 even when he was on vacation; on countless occasions he made house calls or paid for patients’ prescriptions out of his own pocket. John was dedicated to his profession until the very end, even during his long illness.
It was back in 1988 when he began the Monday morning ritual appearance on the “Ask the Doctor” segment for the News on 6. He started out our week with his booming and compassionate voice on TV for more than 25 years.
Always caring for the community, he was the team doctor over the years for the Drillers, Oilers, BA Tigers, Bishop Kelley Comets and countless other teams, always ready to help anyone, home team or not. For over a decade, he was the house doctor for the BOK Center, and greatly enjoyed not only helping, but also dancing with friends to great music. He served as medical director to Crossroads of Oklahoma Hospice, RoseRock Hospice, and Faith Home Care Services. Not only did John serve, help, heal, and improve the lives of countless patients over the years, but his legacy lives strong in the myriad of people he inspired and mentored, many of whom are now serving in the medical community.
Somehow, amidst all the hard work, John found time for play. He found happiness from numerous pastimes, golf being the largest well of joy he pulled from. He was an avid golfer, loving a round or two on the links with friends at Indian Spring or The Golf Club of Oklahoma. He was able to attend the Masters for many years, even getting the opportunity to play on Augusta National, happily scratching that item off his bucket list. There were so many golf outings, and some of his favorites were with his beloved friends, the “Rooskies,” his other golfing buddies at the annual Clambake golf outing in Texas and playing the beautiful Shangri La Golf Club with Eddy and his family.
As an ardent University of Oklahoma fan, John loved going to OU games, not only in Norman, but all over the country. There were so many Dallas trips for OU / Texas, Kansas City for Big XII, or best of all, traveling to a bowl game or National Championship with his dear friends, Eddy Gibbs and family. John and Martha truly enjoyed traveling together, and had the opportunity to do so across the US, as well as many places in Mexico, Canada and Europe. He always loved his numerous Vegas trips and had the time of his life at the Kentucky Derby. He lived life to its fullest and made the world so much better by being part of it. John loved life, family, friends, and enjoying all of them as much as possible.
In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions to be made to the OU Stephenson Cancer Center.www.stephensoncancercenter.org/waystogive/donate/Jennings.aspx
John is survived by his Wife Martha Jennings, Broken Arrow, OK, his Children, John David Jennings II, Los Angeles, CA; Teera Leigh Spino and husband Fabio, Broken Arrow, OK; Brian Alexander Jennings, Broken Arrow, OK ; Grandchildren, Fabio, Reina and Brielle Spino, Broken Arrow, OK; Siblings, Martha Herring and husband Michael, Charlottesville, VA; Mary Herring and husband Roy, Waco, TX
John was preceded in death by his parents, brothers William Porter Jennings and Paul Mark Jennings, and nephew William Porter Jennings, Jr.
