Jean Wilkes

Phyllis Jean Wilkes, born April 2, 1931, in Happy, Texas to parents W. H. (Budd) and Zelma (Curley) Selvidge went to be with her Lord and Savior January 9, 2024.

Jean graduated from Happy High School and devoted herself to serving God through her family and the church. She actively participated in the Deaf Ministry of First Baptist Church, Beaumont, Texas, and was a certified interpreter for the Deaf in Texas. She also served as president of the Women’s Missionary Union. Jean loved missions and served in the Girl’s Auxiliary program that taught about missionaries and traveled to several foreign mission fields. She loved to study Scripture and taught Sunday School classes in most every church we were a member of.

Jean was a faithful wife and devoted mother to her five children, nine grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. She worked outside the home to give each child an opportunity to attend college and pursue their life callings. She loved to work with her husband, Carl, on the farm in East Texas, keeping gardens, feeding, and doctoring cattle, and serving the best-cooked meals for her family and their children who loved being with Grammy and Poppy on the farm.

Jean is survived by her five children, LaVona Wilkes, Gene (Kim) Wilkes, Brenda (Mike) Johnson, Beverly (Joel) Dillard, and Barbara (Rodney) Mobley. She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Wilkes, to whom she was married for 68 years, and her brothers, Buddy Selvidge and Sharell Selvidge.

The celebration of her life will be held at 4:00 p.m., Friday, January 12, 2024, at Legacy Church, 5333 Independence, Plano, Texas. There will be a one-hour visitation from 3-4:00 prior to the service.

Jean will be laid to rest with her husband at Happy Cemetery in Happy, Texas.

If desired, feel free to send flowers or make a contribution in Jean's name to the Alzheimer’s Association at: https://www.alz.org/