Lora Jean Watson

Lora Jean "Jeannie" Jenness Watson, 74, passed away on April 8, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, hard work, and a family tended with fierce devotion. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 6, 1951, to Francis Gene Jenness and Reba Bernice Duke, Jeannie was a woman who defined herself by her "grit and grace," proving time and again that beauty grows where love is planted.

Jeannie was a trailblazer in her professional life, becoming only the second woman to serve as a Meat Market Manager for Winn-Dixie. After leaving the corporate world, she found joy and lasting friendships through her house-cleaning business. Whether in a grocery store or a client's home, she was known as a shrewd, strong, and incredibly hardworking woman who took pride in a job well done.

To her family, she was the ultimate "Meme" and a true hostess. Anyone who entered her home was fed-usually their favorite meal-and there was always coffee in the glass percolator or a soda waiting in the fridge. A visit to Meme's house in Comanche, Oklahoma, meant playing in the big tree out front, gathering pecans in the backyard, and inevitably being put to work on a chore. She taught her children and grandchildren that effort is a form of love, and her yearly Thanksgiving gatherings were the heartbeat of the family.

A lover of nature, rainy days, and vibrant color, Jeannie was a "gardener" in every sense of the word. She could find beauty in the most unexpected places, famously coaxing flowers to bloom from an old bathtub. She found peace in the garden of her home in Comanche, Oklahoma, where she had lived for over 36 years, with her husband, Gary. In her later years, she enjoyed embroidery, genealogy, decorating, and thrifting, but her greatest passion remained her family. Even as she faced her fourth battle with cancer, she rose each day with determination, teaching those around her how to "dig deep" when life got hard.

Jeannie is survived by her husband, Gary Watson; her children, Reba Michelle "Shelly" Crittenden (Daymon), Jacky Scott Richardson (Tricia), Christy Ann Brown (Eddie), and Samuel "Sammy" Gene Richardson; and her stepchildren, James, Kim, and Krissy Watson.

She was the proud matriarch to a large legacy of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Kayla Strand Kaul (Josh) and their daughter Ruby Love (with baby Jade Hope expected on Jeannie's birthday); Zachariah Strand (Heather) and children Landon, Liam, and Henry; Jacob Strand and children Athena, Alice, Yrsa, and Finnin; Elijah Strand (Madison) and children Arrow, Nova, and Sunny; Avery Richardson; Elizabeth Brown; and Samuel and Kelsie Richardson and great-grandchildren Charlsie and Conway.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, Ricky Leonard Shook, Cheryl Lynn Shook Lewis, and Omega Ann; and her great-granddaughter, Athena Presley Monroe Strand.

Jeannie's life was a testament to the fact that resilience grows where love is planted. Her hands, worn from planting and pruning, told the story of a life poured out for others. She will be deeply missed, but her "grit" lives on in the generations she raised to be just as tough as she was.

In keeping with Jeannie's wishes and her "no-fuss" approach to life, there will be no formal funeral service. She has been cremated, and the family will hold a private memorial to celebrate her life at a later date. Her urn will be placed at the future gravesite of her husband, Gary, so they may eventually rest together.

In her memory, the family asks that you "dig deep" in your own gardens, share a laugh on a hard day, or simply enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend-just as she so loved to do.

Cremation arrangements are being handled by Whitt Funeral Home/Oakcrest Cremation Center. Online condolences can be made at www.whittfh.com.

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