Clara Jean Whisenant

Clara Jean "Jeannie" Downing Whisenant, entered the Church Triumphant and gained her heavenly rest on October 29, 2023 in Odessa, Texas. A memorial service for Jeannie will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at the American Heritage Funeral home, 4100 North FM 1788 in Midland, Texas. Her nephews, Pastor Bill Ivins and John Ivins, will officiate at the service. Jeannie was born to Wayne and Inez Downing on January 23, 1940 in Monahans. Jeannie grew up in Wickett, Texas and was a 1958 graduate of Monahans High School. She would marry Lester Whisenant on June 23, 1958, and together, they would spend 61 years together until his death in 2019. Jeannie and Lester would embark on many adventures together that would take them from Texas to California and finally back to Texas again. After living in California for ten years, Jeannie and Lester settled in Odessa in 1975 to be near family. They would purchase the Steak House Restaurant in Goldsmith, where Jeannie worked side-by-side with Lester to build the restaurant into a successful business. After selling the Goldsmith Steak House, they would enter into the mobile home moving business. Jeannie once again worked with Lester, running business operations while Lester moved mobile homes all across west Texas. While Jeannie had a keen business mind, it was her joyful personality and steadfast "can-do" spirit that were the most important contributions to their business success. Although Jeannie worked hard to build successful businesses in Odessa, it was her life as a Mom, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend that brought her the most joy. Even in the challenging moments of life, her joy and steadfast "can-do" spirit allowed her to rise above those challenges. As a lifelong member of the Church of Christ, her faith in the Lord gave her a sure confidence in the hope of heaven. Along with her parents and husband, Jeannie is preceded in death by her sister, Barbara Jane Downing, her brother Billy Wayne Downing, and her niece, Karen Jane Downing Humhreys. Those left to celebrate her memory are her daughter, Darla Vann of Houston, her son, Danny Whisenant and his partner Brenda Carnes of Austin. Jeannie is also survived by her grandchildren, Lyndsey Whisenant of Odessa, Matt Bish and his wife Leslie of Hammond, Louisiana, and Emily Bish of Houston, along with her great-grandchildren Venson and Vensel Guerrero and Rowan Bish. Also celebrating her memory are her sister Patsy Ivins of Odessa, and her nieces and nephews Jimmy Ivins and his wife Claudia, John Ivins, Bill Ivins, Jerry Little, Jimmy Little, Kenneth Little, Kathleen Martinez, Judy Brown, Patricia Venegas, as well as many great nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made to the Odessa Christian School or the Parkview Church of Christ in Odessa, where Jeannie was a longtime member.

Tributes

Clara Jean Whisenant

January 23, 1940 - October 29, 2023