Jean Pepper

In a most fitting manner, Jean Pepper went home to be with her Lord at 11:15 on a Sunday morning, February 28, 2021, exactly two months before her ninetieth birthday.  She was born April 28, 1931, near Ralls, Texas, to Charley and Maggie Verett, the youngest of nine children.  After graduating from Texas Tech University and teaching a year, she married Leslie Pepper of San Antonio on June 20, 1953.  They made their home and reared their sons in Sabinal, where they farmed and owned Pepper Irrigation Company, which Jean ran for thirteen years after Leslie’s death in 1988.

In 2001 Jean moved to The Sherick, a retirement home for women in Lubbock, closer to her three sons.  However, retirement was not for her, so she became greeter at City Bank, a job in which her attention to detail, love of people, and gift of gab endeared her to co-workers and patrons alike.  Seventeen years at the Sherick, fourteen years at City Bank, and being an active member of Greenlawn Church of Christ brought her great joy and many delightful friendships.  However, at the time of her death, she resided at Wedgewood South Assisted Living in Lubbock, Texas.  She came through Covid-19 with limited issues, but continued lockdown contributed significantly to her decline and demise.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leslie Pepper, son Terry Pepper, her parents, and all eight of her siblings.

She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law Kelly and Lesa Pepper of Lubbock, Carl and Debbie Pepper of Lubbock, and LaRhea Pepper of Lander, Wyoming.  Mama Jean, as she is affectionately called, is also survived by four grandsons and two granddaughters:  Lane (Paula) Pepper of Corpus Christi; Trent (Karry) Pepper of Cambridge, Minnesota; Lee (Ashley) Pepper of Lander, Wyoming; Talin (Amanda) Pepper of Burleson; Kayla (Andrew) van Zielst of Lubbock; and Kara Pepper of Lubbock. She is further survived by fourteen Pepper great-grands:  two in Corpus—Lance and Layton; three in Burleson—Laynee, Owen, and Gavin: four in Lander—Torrey, Ava, Evie, and Killian; and five in Cambridge—Landon, Lily, Lydia, Laura, and Lucia.  Jean is also survived by many nieces and nephews, both on her side of the family and Leslie’s, and many friends from church, work, and community in both Sabinal and Lubbock.

A graveside funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2021, at Sabinal Cemetery.  The service will be under the direction of Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary and conducted by family members.  Pallbearers will be long-time family friend Douglas Smith, Jean’s four grandsons, and her grandson-in-law, Andrew van Zielst.  Masks are up to each person’s personal preference and comfort level.  For those who would prefer to attend virtually, the service will be livestreamed at https://youtu.be/Zyg8_XAqFSY.  The link can be found by searching “Jean Pepper YouTube.”  A video tribute will be playing prior to the service at that link, and the service and the video tribute will also be available for later viewing at the same link.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests doing something to help someone else, since that was Jean’s greatest pleasure, or donating to the mission program founded by her nephew:  Ghana Mission Fund, c/o West Hobbs Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 506, Athens, AL 35611.  If you have a memory of Jean or a note that you would like to share with the family, you can email it to bjvp31@gmail.com.

Jean led a life of service, but, most importantly, she set her faith in Jesus Christ and her three sons’ feet on heaven’s road, and, by God’s grace, her legacy is living down through the successive generations.