Mildred Joyce "Pat" Jennings

“Live for the punchline!” – Pat Jennings (November 17, 1927-September 21, 2024)

Mildred Joyce "Pat” Jennings was born in Carrabelle, Florida, on November 17, 1927. Her parents were Mildred and Wynn Booth. She had a beautiful childhood growing up surrounded by aunts, uncles and her beloved Mumsy. After The Great Depression, her family moved to Houston where she attended school in Pasadena.

After graduating from Pasadena High School, Pat worked in the HR department of Reed Roller Bit Company in Houston. She lived at home with her parents, played the organ for multiple churches, and was a USO girl. One afternoon while waiting for the bus on Navigation Boulevard, a handsome young man stopped and asked if she needed a ride. This was the beginning of her 55 year marriage to Don Jennings. They had three children: Susie, Bubba, and Tim. She stayed home when her children were young, but then went back to work at Reed when they entered school.

In 1962, the family moved to Shepherd. Pat continued her daily commute to Reed and became very active in the Shepherd community. She wrote a column for the Shepherd Community News called Around Town, she planned many fundraising activities alongside Don, and started attending St Mary's Catholic Church in Cleveland.

Her time at St Mary's and then later at Saint Stephen's were very important to her. She served as organist at both churches planning the music liturgy for many years. She also was invaluable in fundraising activities alongside her husband.

After retiring from Reed, she began working with the San Jacinto County Special Ed Co-op. After 12 years, she retired again, and then took on the job of editor, writer and photographer for the Shepherd News. She resurrected the Around Town column from the '60s and told the stories of the Shepherd Community and of our family.

She was known for her creativity. If someone was retiring she wrote new words to an old song and sang them goodbye, grandchildren received books that highlighted their individual personalities, and a greeting card from Grani was always a delight. But her favorite thing in the world was a joke in which she didn't see the punchline coming.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Don Jennings, her daughter Susan Jennings Brown, and three grandchildren: Trevor Jennings, Betty Brown, and Cari Jennings.

She is survived by her two sons, Don Jennings and his wife Marilyn, Tim Jennings; grandchildren Molly Kresta and husband AJ, Heather Cain and husband Chris, Davy Frankiewicz and husband Glenn, TD Jennings and wife Amber, Tori Anderson and husband Justin, Dustin Jennings and wife Lindsey, Megan Wilson and husband Tully, and Maine Jones and husband Dustin; nineteen great-grandchildren: Eli Kresta, Isaac Kresta, Brittni Jennings, Keegan Kight, Ethan Kight, Dillon Jennings, Maci Jennings, Darren Jennings, Justin Vaughn, Ryan Vaughn, Emilee Vaughn, Hudson Anderson, Riley Jennings, Faith Jennings, Madison Jennings, Ellie Jennings, MaKayla Morton, Maci Wilson, Vance Jones and seven great-great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 from 5pm – 8pm with a rosary service at 6:30pm in the Pace-Stancil Chapel in Cleveland. Pat’s funeral will be on Wednesday, September 25th at 2pm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Cleveland. Burial will follow in Farley Chapel in Shepherd.

Pallbearers are her great-grandsons and her dear friend Ben Hankins. Honorary pallbearers are her grandsons and grandsons-in-law. 

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to National Public Radio.