Jean Mary Elnora (Canon) Walters, age 94, passed away November 15, 2018 in Dayton, Wyoming. She was born in Hinton, Oklahoma on August 1, 1924 to Alfred J. and Freda T. (Hobbs) Canon. Jean grew up in Hinton, completing her first eleven years of schooling in Hinton. When Jean was 11 her father died as a result of injuries sustained when he was thrown from a horse. Jean’s mother remarried and the family moved to Oklahoma City where Jean graduated from Classen High School in 1942. She attended Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri during 1942 and 1943. As a child she loved playing with her 6 first cousins, especially at Red Rock Canyon outside of Hinton.
Jean married Jack H. Walters on September 22, 1943 at Crown Heights Christian Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They began their married life together with Jack serving in the US Navy as a submariner in the Pacific Theater during World War II. They spent a brief time together in Mystic, Connecticut while Jack was in training. When he went to sea Jean returned to Oklahoma City to await his return. To this union four children were born: Michael Canon Walters (Suzy) of Houston, TX; Brook Boden of Astoria, OR; James Kevin Walters of Oklahoma City, OK and Laurie Del Walters-Clark (John) of Dayton, WY.
Following Jack’s discharge from the navy, he began his career as a Petroleum Engineer with Sohio and British Petroleum. Jean and Jack spent 61 years of marriage together before Jack passed away May 15, 2005. During their years together, the family lived in Pauls Valley, OK; Lake Charles, LA; Shreveport, LA; Tyler, TX; Casper, WY; Midland, TX; Alice, TX; Russell, KS; Midland, TX again; Denver, CO; and Oklahoma City, OK. In 2013 Jean moved to Sheridan, WY and then Dayton, WY in 2017 to be close to her daughters.
Jean’s life work was being a wife, mother, grandmother and aunt to her family and a mentor and friend to many. She was active in P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), the Presbyterian Church as an elder and choir member, as well as Stephen’s Ministries, Women League of Voters, and each of her children’s schools Parent Teacher Associations. She also enjoyed being a Rotary Ann. Her interests and hobbies included toll painting, sewing, knitting, needlepointing and reading. She loved visiting with her family and friends on the telephone. She was a conversationalist with a depth of knowledge that spanned what seemed an unending list of topics. She was a truly loving and gracious woman.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband Jack, her parents, her sister Letha Del Vaughn and brother-in-law Frank Vaughn, brother-in-law Rex Walters and sister-in-law Maribeth Walters, her stepfather B.P. Cavnar, her grandson Matthew Walters and her niece Kathy Cook (Al).
She is survived by all of her children; grandchildren: Chris (Diane) Comer, Leigh Comer, Shelly Marie (David Arthur) Murray, Brittany (Jonathan) Heflin, Amanda (Dustin) Orrell, Daniel Walters, Ella Walters, Jack Walters and Taylor Clark; great-grandchildren: Evan Comer, Eli Comer, D Andrew Rather-Murray, Z. Maria Murray, J. Zander Murray, Wiley Heflin, Maybel Heflin, Eva Orrell; nephews: Dale (Elaine) Walters, John (Marilyn) Walters and Al Cook; niece Vicki Vaughn; several great nephews, great nieces, cousins and a large family of very special friends.
A Celebration of Life with inurnment will be held at 11:00 a.m. Sat. May 25, 2019 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City, OK. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, or to P.E.O., Cottey College Fund, 1000 W. Austin Blvd., Nevada, MO 64772-2790.
