George Dewayne Jenkins

George Dewayne Jenkins, 81, of White Oak, Texas, passed away on August 27, 2025, at his home.
Dewayne was born on May 26, 1944, in Longview, Texas, the youngest child of Delbert and Helen Jenkins. He attended East Mountain Schools, played the baritone, and was a proud Tiger and faithful participant in the annual East Mountain School reunions that began as an idea he and a group of classmates formed in his kitchen.
Thanks to Oak Grove Assembly of God Church and the Hippler family's move across the Sabine River to Texas, he met Ann Hippler, who fell in love with his blue eyes at first sight. He proposed to her in October 1962 and enlisted in the United States Army two days later. They tried to elope on January 1, 1963, but no one could keep a secret, and her sisters would hear nothing of that. While their secret was a failure, their marriage was a success, and they celebrated 62 years of wedded bliss this past winter.
Dewayne was a Spec/4 company clerk stationed at Fort Clayton in the Panama Canal Zone. Ann was able to join him for part of his deployment but ultimately had to return to the U.S. in January 1964 when violence around Panamanian sovereignty broke out. However, she didn't come home alone, as their first child, Stewart, was born that July. Alisa joined the family a few years later, and the family ultimately settled in White Oak.
Dewayne was a hard worker who provided for his family through years of service to companies including the Shreveport Times and Dallas Times-Herald, Fedway, the U.S. Army, Letourneau, Morton Thiokol, Continental Can, Skeeter, LeBus, Lone Star Steel, Good Shepherd Hospital, Lawson, Datacom, Vertex, and weekends for his dad at Westside Garage. He studied automotive technology at Kilgore College. After retirement, he served White Oak High School as a substitute teacher for 14 years.
Dewayne never met a stranger. He could talk the ear off anyone he came across, and if you ran into him at Brookshire's, you'd likely learn his whole life story before you'd get to finish shopping-but you definitely would have heard him brag about his grandchildren. He loved his classic cars, particularly Fords, going to the car shows at Whataburger, and getting to drive his 1956 Fairlane in parades. He could fix anything and had a brilliant mechanical mind. He loved bluegrass, gospel, and old country music, and he made sure that his children and grandchildren all had music infused into their hearts and lives.
In later years, Dewayne loved being actively involved at White Oak Assembly of God and then First Assembly of God in Gladewater. He was proud to have been baptized on March 13, 2016, and that, for the first time in his life, he had become an official church member earlier this year.
Dewayne loved sweets and always had a variety of chocolates, cookies, and Jelly Belly jelly beans on hand and Blue Bell Ice Cream in the freezer. He was an excellent baker and his pies were known and loved far and wide. He took on the role of dad or grandpa to countless others over the years, and those of us who were fortunate to have him in that role from the beginning were honored to share him with anyone who needed the same love and steady presence he was glad to provide. His love of God, music, and family will live on through the many lives he touched.
Dewayne was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, Delbert and Helen (Shackleford) Jenkins, sister Mary (Jenkins) Tower, nephews Jerry and Ronnie Jenkins, and many other family and friends.
Dewayne is survived by his beloved wife, Ann; son and daughter-in-law Stewart and Leslie Jenkins, daughter and her partner Alisa Jennings and Bryan Hester; grandchildren Jenny Jenkins, Darrell Edwards and Meta Kovacec, Eric and Rani Jenkins, and Sarah and Brian Howell; and great-grandchildren Linnea, Mckelti, Shiloh and Brynja Jenkins, and Neli, Jurij and Brina Selišnik. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Marvin and Loretta Jenkins, many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, family, neighbors, and friends. The family gives special thanks for the care he received in the last few years through Texas Oncology, especially his dear PA, Devin Brecheen, and through Chambers Hospice.
Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. on September 13, 2025, at Welch Funeral Home, 4619 Judson Rd, Longview, TX 75605, with services to follow at 2 p.m. Burial will be immediately after at Rosewood Park Cemetery, 1884 Farm to Market Rd 1844, Longview, TX 75605.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial donations be given to First Assembly of God, Gladewater or a veterans' organization of your choice.