She was born in McCool, Miss., where she spent her childhood and was a fixture in Louisville, Miss., for decades.
Jean’s kindness and selflessness knew no bounds. She loved deeply, forgave quickly and prayed constantly. She lived her life for Jesus, and her actions personified His teachings. A phrase that was often said of Jean: “She would give you the shirt off her back.” She would.
As Jesus taught in Luke 6:29: "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them." That was Jean. She believed everyone was redeemable and made in the image of God. She saw the good in people and wanted everyone to be saved.
She was a great listener and rarely complained. She was a refuge for others during times of difficulty and loved her family and friends unconditionally. She was always thinking of others before herself.
Jean recognized her own wants and desires, but she was quick to surrender them to God’s will. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding,” she would often say. She knew God had a plan and trusted it wholeheartedly, even when the path ahead was unclear. Jean had a beautiful way of reassuring others that God had a plan for them, too, and that there was no need to worry. She often quoted Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good.”
To know Jean was to see one of her many well-worn Bibles — each marked with highlighted passages, underlined verses and handwritten reflections from years spent in God’s Word. Jean immersed herself in Scripture, seeking wisdom, guidance and truth from its pages. This was never more evident than when she prayed, effortlessly recalling and weaving God’s Word into her prayers. Her prayers were spontaneous and sincere. God spoke through Jean, and she prayed for everyone. Jean deeply believed in the power of prayer and used it often as a way to uplift others.
Jean frequently led the blessing before holiday meals and other family gatherings. During these moments, she would give thanks, and the list was long: She gave thanks for the gift of family and for every blessing — big or small — in the lives of those she loved. Whether celebrating a milestone, answered prayer or the joy of being together, Jean never failed to recognize God’s goodness. More often than not, after one of these heartfelt prayers, a family member would gently remind her with a smile, “You forgot to bless the food, Mammaw.” So focused on giving thanks for God’s countless blessings, she would overlook the meal itself. It became a cherished family joke and a moment that never failed to bring laughter around the table.
Jean reflected Christ’s love in ordinary moments that became lasting blessings to those around her. She had a way of leaving people with a thoughtful card, a handwritten note, a printed hymn or devotional, or a small spiritual keepsake. These simple gifts were tangible expressions of her love, encouragement and unwavering faith. Sharing God’s love with others brought Jean great joy, and she never missed an opportunity to remind them of God’s presence in their lives. Jean had a habit of calling others “precious,” a simple word that reflected how she saw the people around her. “My precious grandchildren,” she would often say. Those who knew her would undoubtedly say the same about Jean. Jean was precious.
During the last years of her life, she stopped saying goodbye to people. She didn’t believe in the finality of goodbyes. She was focused on eternity, a blissful eternity she would get to spend with her loved ones. She ended conversations with a simple reminder: “Jesus loves you.”
A mother, wife, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, we grieve the temporary absence of Jean, but we also rejoice. We rejoice knowing that Jean is now with her Lord and Savior and free from pain. She has heard the voice of her Savior say to her, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
She often felt that what she had to give wasn’t enough, but it was more than enough. Her legacy will live on in every act of kindness inspired by her example, every prayer whispered because she taught us to pray and every heart that learned what selfless love looks like simply by watching her live.
Jesus loves you.
Jean is survived by her sister, Polly Whitmire; her daughters, Cindy Reynolds and her husband, Randy, and Jeannie Ammon; her grandchildren, Matt Reynolds and his wife, Sami, Nathan Reynolds and his wife, Lauren, Luke Reynolds and his wife, Raeanna, David Ammon and his wife, Kerri Mathews, Justin Ammon, Bret Ammon, and Abbie Emerson and her husband, Sam; and her great-grandchildren, Tatum Reynolds, Gage Reynolds, Rhys Reynolds, Jett Reynolds, Dru Reynolds, Ripken Reynolds, Brody Reynolds, Bray Reynolds, Zoey Ammon and Noah Wesley Emerson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, David G. Woodruff, and her parents, Pauline and Dewitt Whitmire.