Gwendolyn A. Jennings, aged 88 and a resident of Chillicothe, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at Morningside Center in Chillicothe, Missouri.
Born to Harry and Esther (Patterson) Metzner on March 21, 1936, in Chillicothe, Missouri, Gwen was an only child. She graduated from Tina-Avan High School in 1954. On September 20, 1953, she wed Leroy Jennings in Centerville, Iowa. Their marriage lasted 67 years until his passing in 2021. Gwen dedicated over 20 years as a housemother at the Chillicothe Training School for Girls, having worked at the Boss Glove Factory beforehand.
Gwen’s passions included gardening, particularly caring for her flowers and lawn. Despite aging, she would often remain outside after dusk, collecting sticks from her wheelchair. She loved feeding birds and catering to various species such as hummingbirds and purple martins. In her younger years, she enjoyed motorcycle rides with her husband. The couple also traveled extensively, spending over 30 summers in Florida via their RV and going on several cruises. Gwen was an active member of the Garden Club, the Farmettes, and the Burnside Cemetery Association.
She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Miner, and her husband, Mic, of Lenexa, Kansas; two sons, David Jennings and his wife, Arlinda, of Arkansas, and Ron Jennings and his wife, Michelle, of Cypress, Texas; eight grandchildren, Nicole Jennings, Ashton Polk and her husband, Donte, Christopher Miner, Shelby Jennings, Zachary Jennings, Tyler Jennings, Isabella Jennings, Diana Mai, and Joshua Jennings; two great-grandchildren, Camron and Christian Polk; a sister-in-law, Charlene Meyers; and several nieces and nephews. Her parents, her husband, Leroy, and her son, Steve Jennings, preceded her in death.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Lindley Funeral Home in Chillicothe, Missouri, with interment to follow at Edgewood Cemetery in Chillicothe, Missouri. Visitation will be on Friday, April 12, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Lindley Funeral Home, where friends may also call from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and sent to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Missouri, 64601.
