Varena Mae (Allen) Blackman

On October 7, 1923 Varena Mae Allen graced this world with her presence. At 2:30 A.M. on May 1, 2011, the Lord welcomed her into his loving arms. She was the daughter of Nancy Velma and James Walter Allen.

On December 21, 1939, she was married to Dewey Columbia Blackman. During her 87 years she was blessed with three children, seven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild. Varena’s most cherished gift in life was her family.

She is survived by her sons, Roger Blackman and wife Dorthy of Jarrell, Texas and Billy Blackman and wife Judy of Copperas Cove, Texas; daughter, Barbara Zieschang and husband Darrell of Jarrell, Texas; grandchildren, Andrew Blackman and wife Nichole, Sharon Little and husband Martin, Kathy Boise and husband Eric, Julie Canales, Melissa Bohannon and husband Steve, and Stacy Manning and husband Todd; great-grandchildren, Bryce Blackman, Brayden Blackman, Samantha Little, Zachary Little, Aiden Boise, Sydney Boise, Kasey Boise, Joshua Bohannon, Brandon Bohannon, Christine Bohannon, Cheyenne Bohannon, Chelsea Manning and Bradley Manning; one great great-grandson, Eli Hemmen; two brothers and one sister all of Seminole, Texas, MJ Allen and wife Wilma, WR Allen and wife Louise and Shirlene Presley and husband Shorty. She was preceded in death by her father James Allen, mother Velma Allen, husband of 57 years Dewey Blackman, brothers Homer Allen, Eugene Allen, JV Allen and Aaron Allen, sisters Goldie Zaicek, Laura Allen, Lula Ermis and Katie Whitaker, and one grandson Steven Zieschang.

Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons Andrew Blackman, Todd Manning and Steven Bohannon, great-grandsons Joshua Bohannon, Brandon Bohannon and Christian Bohannon. Honorary pallbearers will be Marcine Bridges, Lillian Smith, Millie Sybert, Ginger Lloyd and Mildred Brown.

She loved her time at family gatherings, flowers, gardening, feeding the birds in her back yard, senior meals at the fire station, fishing and getting her hair fixed at Gingers Beauty Shop. She was proud to be Jarrell’s official National Weather Service person for 30 years.

She will be dearly missed by everyone that had the honor of meeting and spending time with her. Most of her friends knew her as Shorty of Pee Wee. The nickname fit her well, since she didn’t quite hit 5 feet.

The family wants to thank Scott & White, Park Place, and Lighthouse Hospice for the care that was given to mom. A special thanks to Comfort Keepers for all the tender and loving care that was given to our Sweet Sweet Mother. They were our angels during this most difficult time.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 2, 2011 between 6:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at Jarrell Baptist Church in Jarrell, Texas. Her final resting place will follow the service at the Land Cemetery in Jarrell, Texas.

Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.