Jeffie Lee Raines

To Jeffie Lee Raines, the entire world was a stage. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy and blessed, and she willingly shared that Christian joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Jeffie, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Jeffie really mastered the art of Christian living and had great fun in doing so.

Jeffie was born on June 1, 1952, at Fairfield Hospital in Fairfield, TX. Her parents were Jeff Thomas (1899-1968) a watermelon farmer and Mildred Lee Meyers Raines (1922-1988) a homemaker. Jeffie was raised in Buffalo, Texas. Even as a child, Jeffie had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly family member.

Always a good playmate, Jeffie was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, having a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Jeffie was raised with one sibling, older sister Alma (1948-1980).

Ask anyone who knew her from school, and they would tell you that Jeffie was an astute student. Jeffie graduated from Buffalo High School in 1970, Buffalo, Texas as Valedictorian and “Most likely to Succeed”. Her favorite class was math, especially Calculus. She always said, “when learning is fun, the grades just come effortlessly” and was thankful for her gift of academics. Jeffie was a member of the and President of the Future Homemakers of America. She was Yearbook editor of both Buffalo ISD elementary and high school.

Jeffie reveled in her college years, where her imagination could run free. Jeffie was awarded a Math and Physics Scholarship to Texas Woman's University (TWU) in Denton, Texas. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun in education with others. Her favorite course was Physics where she worked as a Department Physics tutor and lab assistant. She was named TWU Outstanding Freshman Physics Student in 1971. While at school she was active in the Christian Student Union. She participated in the TWU German Club and represented TWU at the 1972 Texas State German Convention. She returned home to Buffalo to work and support family after two years at TWU. 1973-1974 she attended McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas attaining her Texas Board Licensure for Nursing Home Administration. Almost thirty years later she earned her Associates Degree of Science from McLennan Community College as a Licensed Vocational Nursing in 2000.

Perhaps the reason Jeffie related so well to children was her ability to be a “kid at heart” which helped her in raising her own. Jeffie was blessed with one child, Savannah Raines Mejia (1973- ) whom she adopted from her sister on Alma's passing of skin cancer in 1980. Later, she was blessed with two grandchildren, Christian and Teofilo. Jeffie had compassion and ability to make any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. She was so proud to be well on cancer remission to attend Christian’s San Diego State University Graduation and witness him earn his bachelor’s degree and Teofilo’s kindergarten Graduation.

At work, as in life, Jeffie was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Her primary occupation was Nurse Administrator and Accounting Supervisor 70's, Accounting Bookkeeper 80s-90s and Licensed Vocational Nurse 90s-2000s. She was employed for Buffalo Nursing Home Buffalo, Texas, Hill Haven Nursing Homes Austin, Texas headquarters and El Paso, Texas, Central Engineering Waco, Texas, Clement Grain Co. Waco, Texas, Providence Hospital Waco, Texas and Cloisters of Mission Hills Nursing Home San Diego, California.

Jeffie enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Jeffie liked creating and making things. After family she enjoyed reading books, billiards, line dancing, karaoke, water-coloring and adult coloring books. Jeffie was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Jeffie felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she was not’t the best, Jeffie loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. In high school, Jeffie played basketball and volleyball. In her college years, Jeffie continued to stay active by swimming, bowling, golf, and archery. Jeffie was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were bowling, ice skating, dance competitions and gymnastics.

Jeffie was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Jeffie was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for the school PTA and represented WACO ISD at State PTA conference in Dallas, Texas. She established and was her church liaison to the local Waco Quality Care Nursing home for the Adopt a Grandparent program ensuring those residents with no local families received God's love through visitation. She led groups of teenagers from her church dressed as clowns to deliver balloons and bible verses to the children's ward of her local hospital. Politically, Jeffie was always active voter, proud patriot of our country and felt blessed to be a United States citizen. She supported her daughter and son’s military year careers attending all their advancements and serving as their family care plan for their kids while they deployed.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Jeffie recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member Buffalo Texas Assembly of God all her childhood, Calvary Baptist Church of Waco, Texas, Western Heights Baptist Church Waco, Texas and Eastlake Community Church of Chula Vista, CA until her death all totaling 69 years as an involved church member. During that time, she was Sunday school teacher, children's bus ministry worker, teen girls ACTEENS Wednesday bible study leader and final years in her Nursing Home life she led Bible study with fellow residents. She would go room to room in her motorized chair to remind friends of bible study time.

Jeffie loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the country and loved the real-life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included childhood trips to her Meyers Grandparents farm in Gatesville, Texas, trip with her Sister Alma to the Arizona Grand Canyon before College, Hot Springs Arkansas trip with Cousins, New Mexico and Juarez Mexico trip with workmates, Orlando, Florida trip to see daughters Navy Bootcamp graduation with cousins, San Francisco, California trip with her daughter, son in law husband and Grandsons. Her final travel was a road trip to Texas to see family and friends in Denton, Ft Worth, Dallas, Cleburne, Hillsboro, Waco, Gatesville, Buffalo, Austin and San Antonio after completing her cancer radiation treatment in 2015.

Jeffie was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Jeffie's favorites was ol' Rascal Raines, her Chow dog in Texas in adulthood and her family farm mule Eleck in childhood. They were best friends for 10 years with both her dog and childhood mule. Her pet family final years included sharing the family dogs Pepper the black collie and Tweenie the creme terrier plus many tropical fish.

Jeffie believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2009, Jeffie took it in stride as one more way to have fun. Her new life involved staying in Chula Vista, California to remain living with her daughter’s family. In retirement, she found new pleasure in staying active in the church, karaoke at the Moose Lodge and taking care of the baby Grandson Teofilo. Even in retirement, Jeffie continued to stay in touch with her old friends through Facebook and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Jeffie passed away on August 10, 2021, at Sharp Hospice Care San Diego, California. Jeffie fought a brave 6-year battle against cancer. She is survived by her daughter Savannah and son in law June; grandsons Christian (age 25) and Teofilo III (age 9) and numerous supportive Texas and California cousins and family friends. Services were held at Glenn Abbey Chapel of Roses. Jeffie will be laid to rest in Buffalo Texas Community Cemetery at a future date to be determined in 2022.

Jeffie brought joy to all of those around her. She loved to have a good time and always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all her activities with her friends and family. Jeffie Lee Raines lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile as she smiles down to us from heaven.