On June 8, 2025, Jimmie Lea Smith Storey passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 78. A celebration of her life will be held at the First Baptist Church in Anahuac on Friday, June 13, 2025. There will be a visitation at 11 a.m. and the service will begin at 12 p.m.
Born August 7, 1946, Jimmie Lea was a lifelong resident of Anahuac, Texas, graduating from Anahuac High School in 1964. She married the love of her life, Kenneth Storey, who survives her, in 1965 and was a loving mother to two children, Samantha Storey Oler, and Judd Storey.
She met her husband Kenneth in the fall of 1964, when she brought her niece to the Storey home to get homework from a classmate, Kenneth’s sister. They knew it was love at first sight, and they were married in January of ’65. They welcomed Samantha in 1969 and Judd in 1972. Samantha married Ralph Oler Jr. in 1988, and Jimmie Lea quickly came to love him as her second son— just as he came to cherish her as a second mom. Judd brought his wife Rachel into the family in 2006 and a beautiful friendship between her and Jimmie Lea blossomed. Jimmie Lea’s parents owned the Anahuac Hotel for a time and some of her most treasured memories were the large family gatherings at the hotel for holidays.
Jimmie Lea was a proud wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt to many. Jimmie was preceded in death by her siblings, Melva Louise, Bennett Taylor Jr., Carrie Maxine, and Albert Wade and survived by her dear sister, Rebecca Ann Rothkamm. She was the beloved “Nanny” to her grandchildren Jake, Maegan, Morgan, Ali, Corby, Mason, Jacob, Wesley, and Reagan and 14 beautiful great-grandchildren.
Jimmie Lea was a light to all that knew her. With the warmest smile and thoughtful demeanor, she made all around her feel welcome and loved. She was a nurturing maternal figure for many nieces, nephews, neighbors, and friends throughout her life and leaves behind a legacy of love and comfort. She was a strong woman of faith, and her family takes comfort in knowing that she’s in the arms of Jesus.
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