George Jones' Home Fails to Sell on Auction Block

George Jones Fan Passes in Greenville

GREENVILLE, TX — Jimmie Joyce Whisenhunt, 86, passed away on Feb.7, 2013, in Greenville. She was born on May 30, 1926, to her loving parents James (Jim) and Hattie Lamm in Greenville.

She lived in the Tidwell community, nortn of Greenville until she was about 12 years old. She went to Lamar school in Tidwell and graduated from Wolfe City High.

Mother began taking piano lessons at around 10 years old but stopped after a year because she could play anything that she heard and did not need to read music. Jimmie and three of her friends from Lamar School formed a quartet around that same time and were highly sought to perform by many churches all around the area every Sunday afternoon. She loved performing for people.

She was an expert at crawdad fishing. When she was a little girl, she and her little sister Nell, would catch a tub full of crawdads and her momma would fry up the tails for the family. Mother said they were delicious.

Momma and her little sister were quit the little rascals also. When they pulled a prank or they were in trouble they would run and hide because they could outrun thier momma.

The cats name in the picture with mother is named “Webby”. She loved cats. The picture was taken when she was 12 yrs old after being sick. Her older sisters had fixed her hair in a popular style of that time called rats.

Sadly, two months after her husband died, February 14 th 2007, her cat named “Wart” died also.

Being heart broken for the second time during a short period. God sent her another cat named “Rascal” through veterinarian Patricia Rife. It was love at first sight for both of them.

Rascal and Webby look liked they came from the same litter of kittens even though they were born decades apart.

Jimmie went to work at Temco in 1952; she was the 53rd employee hired at the plant. Her husband, J.C., was hired a few weeks later. She met J.C. through her cousin, Bob Harwell, and they were married Oct. 17, 1953.

J.C. and Jimmie got married in Greenville, Miss. by a female preacher across from the Williamson County Courthouse in Greenville. That was the only state they could find that did not require a blood test as she had an extreme fear of needles.

Momma was a huge fan of country music; George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Porter Waggoner, June Carter and Loretta Lynn were among her favorites. She could sing and play any song they did.

Her most favorite male country singer was Hank Williams. She played and sang “Your Cheating Heart,” “Jambayla” and “I Saw the Light” many times. When the “Hank Williams Story” was made into a movie, She took her son Rickie Joe to see it at the Texan Theater in Downtown Greenville Texas. She said that Hank’s son did a good job singing his Dad’s songs; actually having a better voice than his Dad's. Jimmie Joyce instilled a love for music in her three boys.

Jimmie Joyce is "Singiing With The Angels For The Lord" now.

I purchased a home and 10 acres that George Jones owned in Vidor, Texas back in the 80's and loved the property. I moved and later sold the property. Heard lots of stories from my in-laws and the locals about George and his life there growing up as a little boy...all good wholesome stories. Unfortunately, I never got to see him when he was to appear for a performance in Beaumont Texas at the Palace Theater (close to Vidor) as he was a no show twice and I cashed in my tickets (back in his drinking days). I wish him all the best with his health, glad to hear he is OK, and ready to down size and have some real fun in his life.
Daphney Skelton

I purchased a home and 10 acres that George Jones owned in Vidor, Texas back in the 80's and loved the property. I moved and later sold the home. Heard lots of stories from my in-laws and the locals about George and his life there growing up as a little boy...all good wholesome stories. Unfortunately, I never got to see him perform in Beaumont Texas at the Palace Theater (close to Vidor) as he was a no show twice and I cashed in my tickets (back in his drinking days). I wish him all the best with his health, glad to hear he is OK, and ready to down size and have some real fun in his life.
Daphney Skelton