Jean Hale Davis

Jean Hale Davis of Austin passed away on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 in Lubbock, Texas.

Born in Abilene, Texas, on August 14th, 1941 to Florene and Clifton Esman, she was the oldest of four children. She grew up in Abilene and graduated from Eula High School in 1959.

On December 31st, 1959, she married Joe Pat Hale, whom she met at Bible Hardware in Abilene, and they soon welcomed three daughters. Together they owned and operated Hale Farm Supply in Haskell where Pat was a John Deere dealer and Jean worked as the bookkeeper. In 1985, after graduating from Abilene Christian University, she began teaching junior high and high school students in Paint Creek and Stamford. In 1992, they moved to Austin where, prior to his passing in 1993, Pat worked for the Texas Department of Agriculture. Jean taught economics and English literature at Leander High School for many years.

She took care of herself for many years, and had many hobbies including reading, travel, plants, and watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy religiously. She was an amazing interior decorator. She loved to read; she was never without a stack of books on her nightstand and was usually involved in a robust book club.  Her grandkids spent the summers with her in Austin, swimming at Barton Springs and playing in the “forest” behind her house. They always went to see movies together, another of Jean’s favorite pastimes. She shared her mother Florene’s affinity for plant care, passing her green thumb on to at least a couple of her granddaughters (and skipping her daughters completely).

She spent time on mission trips to Peru, Italy, and Guyana with her church family at Westover Hills Church of Christ, as well as volunteered for many years with the In-Kind ministry.

Jean loved her family more than anything. Affectionately called “Gronky” by her grandkids, a name which she certainly would not have chosen for herself yet wore proudly, there was not much that could keep her from being a part of their lives, even traveling as far as England and South Korea to do so. When Mindy and Kara graduated from high school on the same night, she drove from Georgetown to San Antonio to see them both walk across the stage. She was present for all their big life events.

In 2011 she began a courtship with Jim. Her family noticed a change in Jean very early on in their friendship and loved hearing “Teenage Gronky” blush over the George Strait concert she had attended with “Good Driver Jim.” They married on January 14th, 2012, and enjoyed several years of travel, fun, and companionship. They both said they would be happy to have at least ten good years together – and they certainly did.

Jean is survived by her husband Jimmy Davis of Austin, daughters Kim (Garry) Baccus of Lubbock and Pam (Gary) Smith of Waco; son-in-law Todd Reynolds of Waco; grandchildren Jana (Jentry) Powell of Lewisville, Kara (Houston) Hutchinson of Leander, Mindy Smith of Waco, Austin (Katie) Baccus of Lubbock, and Madison (Manuel) Avalos of Austin; great-grandchildren Autumn Powell, Afton Hutchinson, Jaci Powell, Quinn Hutchinson, Carly Powell, Ayla Powell, Mazie Hutchinson, Remi Powell, and Chisum Hale Baccus; brothers Greg Esman and Ron Esman of Abilene; and numerous nieces, nephews, and step-children.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Florene and Clifton Esman; her sister, Marcia Fields; her husband, Joe Pat “Ponky” Hale, and her daughter, Dana Elaine Reynolds.

Graveside services will take place at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at Tow Cemetery in Tow, Texas.

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