After John Mabee made his fortune and became one of the richest men in Oklahoma as a drilling contractor, he used funds to cement his love story with Lottie Jane. In 1945, John decided to construct two dormitories on UTulsa’s campus, one for men and one for women. The two residence halls were named after him and his beloved bride, Lottie Jane. The buildings sit directly across from one another with only a pastoral commons between them.

As the only gender-exclusive housing on campus, John Mabee and Lottie John Mabee halls are popular among undergraduates seeking a traditional dorm experience. John and Lottie Jane’s lifelong devotion to each other lives on through the relationships that began in the residence halls at UTulsa. An untold number of friendships have been forged in the dorms, and a fair number of romantic relationships originated there, too.

To ensure maintenance is held to the highest standards, the university has launched a fundraising campaign to lovingly secure the John Mabee and Lottie John Mabee dormitories’ futures. With matching funds from the Mabee Foundation, the portraits of John and Lottie Jane will hang in the lobbies of their respective buildings, forever facing each other.

The Mabee Foundation has issued a $2 million challenge grant for the renovation of Lottie Jane Mabee Hall. To unlock this grant, we must raise an additional $4 million by July 2025, and we need your help.