Jeanette “Jennie” Wilkerson Coker left this earth on November 26, 2024.
She was born in Brownsville, Texas on July 31, 1943, and was the oldest of seven children. Raised in Houston, she graduated from Spring Branch High School in 1961. Shortly afterward her family moved to Conroe where her father continued his construction business. He literally dropped her off on the courthouse square in search of a job and eventually she was hired as a legal secretary. Working in the legal field led to the opportunity to meet a young Conroe attorney by the name of Lynn Coker, who practiced with his brother.
Jennie and Lynn married in December of 1963 and had four children. Jennie was saved at a Billy Graham crusade in Houston and was an active member of First Baptist Church in Conroe – teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir and wrangling her young children during the church services. The Coker family moved to Livingston in 1979, and she continued her faithful service to the Lord at Central Baptist Church and Chesswood Baptist Church.
Next to her devotion to the Lord – her family was the most important thing to her. She was a stay-at-home mother but devoted much of her time to all things relating to her children – homeroom mother, band president, Girl Scout cookie mother and the never-ending chauffeur duties. Jennie navigated one daughter and three boisterous sons with love and the wooden spoon. Get-togethers with her extended family were frequent and consisted of laughter, games and fun. As part of a political family, over the years Jennie campaigned for her father-in-law, husband and her daughter.
Around 1984 she opened The Party Place in Livingston and threw herself into making it a thriving business. Her kids would come after school and it became a family affair – blowing up balloons, making gift baskets and delivering them in her trusty Dodge Caravan.
After her husband Lynn died in 1993, she embarked on a new chapter back in Conroe. She perfected a recipe for peanut brittle and thus began her next business venture. Her peanut brittle became so popular that she was out daily selling it. People in not only Texas, but other states and overseas would tell her it was the best peanut brittle that they ever had.
She prayed fervently and earnestly every day and would read her Bible. Jennie was an outgoing social person who never met a stranger – striking up a conversation with anyone and praying with them, whether she was standing in line at the grocery store or at a garage sale.
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners would include people that would have otherwise been alone. Often times her children would trudge along behind her as she delivered gifts and homemade baked goodies to various shut-ins.
Jennie had many different names – Mom, Grandy, Gigi, Jeanette and Aunt Nett were just a few. Having grandchildren gave her renewed purpose, and she devoted much of her time and energy to making each of them feel so special and loved. During the course of her life, she learned to paint, played the piano, wrote poetry, wrote short stories, loved to sing and was a voracious reader. She will be missed beyond words can describe.
Jennie is proceeded in death by her father, mother and one sister.
She leaves behind her children: Elizabeth, Brannon, Collin and Tyler, two daughters-in-law, grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Three sisters, two brothers, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins survive her as well.
A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 10 a.m. with a memorial service beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Eickenhorst Funeral Services, Conroe, Texas.
