It is with great sorrow that the family of Jean C. Whipple announces her passing on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, in Montgomery, Texas at the age of 97 years. Jean was born in Athens, Ohio on August 10, 1922 to her parents Thomas A. Cotton and Mabel (Stewart) Cotton. She was raised in Canisteo, N.Y. the 4th child with her brothers; Thomas (Tom), Robert (Bob), James (Jim), William (Bill), and John (Jack). Raised with warm memories of their Canisteo home and her father’s A&P store.
Jean graduated college early in 1945 from the University of the State of New York as a registered professional nurse and then served in the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the European, African, and Middle Eastern campaign of World War II and honorably discharged in November 1946. She continued until September 13, 1952 in the Army Nurse Corps, United States Army Reserve.
She married Albert J. Whipple Jr. on September 13, 1946 and followed him where his United States Air Force career took them, which included being stationed overseas in Gaum, Micronesia and state side in Tampa, Florida, Bossier, Louisiana, and Omaha, Nebraska. They had four children; Albert Joseph, John Thomas, James Otto (still born), and Jeffrey Lee. On Al’s leaving the military and entering public service they settled in San Antonio, Texas with the boys. Many fond memories of living on Fantasia in Harmony Hills making lifelong friends and loving bonds as the boys grew up. She made sure all her boys attended college, which they all chose Texas A&M University. She was a proud Aggie mom.
On retirement they moved to Buchanan Dam, Texas, where she considered the Texas Hill Country with the blue bonnets and skinny chickens (roadrunners) dear to her heart and her true home. Her loving husband of 42 years passed in November 1988 at their cherished Kliene Bergland Viehe Weide (Little Mountain Cow Pasture). At the request of her brother Bill, she moved to Palmetto, Florida to the Piney Point retirement community. Unfortunately, Bill passed shortly after she got established, but she made a go of it by herself at Piney Point where she made many friends supporting the community Monday morning coffees and served as one of the community nurses. On August 30, 2017 during Hurricane Irma after 28 years in Florida her youngest son with the help of other family members moved her back to her beloved Texas.
Her youngest son arranged for a tiny home to be constructed to meet her needs, she was excited about her little blue cottage in the woods. She loved her little blue cottage very much and was able to stay independent for almost a year until her health deteriorated. She set up residence under hospice care at the Genesis Senior Care II after a hospital stay in October 2018. The owners and staff of Genesis took great care of her and family was able to spend time with her making many tender memories until her resent passing from congestive heart failure.
She is survived by her youngest son, Jeffrey Lee (Mary) Whipple of Montgomery; his two children Farralyn R. Kennedy of Magnolia, Kevin R. (Cassie) Withrow of Deer Park; her daughter-in-law, Carol M. Whipple (Bill) Winning of Houston; two grandsons of Houston, Christopher M. (Melissa) Whipple and Jason T. Whipple. Jean will be lovingly remembered by her six great grandchildren, Katey, Libby, Stella, Sailor, Kimi, and Krysta. She was loved by many extended family and friends including Del Sloan, who she loved as another son and whom loved her as a second mom. Jean was predeceased by her parents Thomas A. Cotton and Mabel Cotton; husband Albert J. Whipple Jr.; sons Albert J. Whipple III of Overland Park, K.S., Captain John T. (Carol) Whipple USMC in the line of duty, and James Otto Whipple; brothers Dr. Thomas S. Cotton M.D. of Canisteo, N.Y., Dr. William K. Cotton M.D. of Hartville, Ohio, Robert A. Cotton of West Caldwell, N.J., James M. Cotton of Tucson, AR., John Otto Cotton of Honolulu, H.I., and older sister Betty Jane Cotton who pasted before Jean’s birth.
As we know, Jean never liked being the center of attention and per her wishes there will be no funeral services. However, a celebration of Jean’s life will be held by her family on Sunday, August 9, 2020 to honor her on her birthday. Location of the celebration to be announced later and due to the pandemic, we will also be posting on social media stream. Arrangements are being made for a later time to place her ashes in the Houston Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Houston, Texas.
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