Services for Wanda Lou Jenkins, 89, of Paoli, formerly of Francis, are 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2022 at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Bro. Terry Erwin will officiate. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery, where family and friends will share stories and celebrate her life.
Mrs. Jenkins died Monday, March 21, 2022 at a Lexington Nursing Home following a brief illness with cancer. She was born September 24, 1932, in Ada to Elzie Bryan and Daisy Velma George Cooper. She was the oldest of three children, with a sister, Lucy Gatewood, and brother, Dale Cooper. She graduated from Byng High School, where all of her children also attended. Mrs. Jenkins married Marcus Jenkins in 1952 when both were 20 years old. While the two were dating, her mom sent brother Dale with them to sit in the back seat to chaperone. Mrs. Jenkins was a homemaker and a member of the Paoli Pentecostal Church.
She had six children, James Bryan, Kevin Dale, Laura “Diane”, Mark Alan, Leah Shawn and Torri Louanne, 12 grandchildren who absolutely adored her, and many great -grandchildren. Her absolute greatest joy in this life was serving her children and grandchildren and working in her yard and garden. She loved to spend time with family on the South Canadian River, and at lake Eufaula. She loved her dog Scoop, and in her later years, her cat Ori. She will be missed by everyone who knew her, because her life touched so many.
She was preceded in death by both her parents and both siblings. She was preceded in death by her husband Mark in 2013, and one son, Mark Alan.
Survivors include three daughters, Diane Calaway, of Francis, Torri Jenkins, of Francis and Leah Abney and husband Bryan, of Paoli, and two sons Jay Jenkins and wife Toni, of Francis and Kevin Jenkins, of Ada, plus many grands and great grands.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada
