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PAMELA KAY WHIDDEN

Pamela Kay Whidden, 72, died Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at McGraw Community Hospice in Jacksonville, Fla. Her death was caused by a rare and aggressive cancer that could not be treated.

Pamela was born on Nov. 15, 1946 at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers Florida, the daughter of Jake and Gladys Hunt. She graduated high school in 1963 from Ft. Myers Senior High School. She also married Kirby Lee Whidden and had her first daughter Sherri in that year.

After school she went on to be a homemaker and raised her three daughters Sherri, Susan, and Sheila. In 1975 she needed a change of scenery, divorced her husband and flew north to Jacksonville Florida. There she started a new life and married her beloved husband David.

Once in Jacksonville she left the home and started her career in banking. She had many changes in positions and company transitions through her time in the field. She made so many wonderful friends and even reconnected with a few old ones.

While working, Pam had her fourth daughter Angela in 1981. Because of the 18-year age gap in her children many people thought her oldest daughter Sherri had a baby over summer break. Even with the difference in age, all her daughters have created wonderful memories together and come together often for family events.

Pamela retired from the bank in 2006 and immediately attended truck driving school. This was a surprise to all her family and friends since she was quoted as “having the sense of direction of a rock” and was known to meet up with a curb or two in her journeys.

She was victorious in her efforts and went on to do team truck driving with her husband. During her trucking career she was able to visit every state in the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii. She was very proud of that and loved to tell family and friends of all her adventures touring the states.

She retired from trucking in 2016 to spend more time in her beloved home in Greenville. Once she retired from trucking, she spent a lot of her time growing veggies, canning, making preserves, and volunteering at the church and in her community.

Pamela always had a love for cooking and used her talents to serve, cooking for church events and to help feed the homeless. As much as she loved cooking, she loved God even more. She attended two different churches in Greenville.

She loved her ladies Bible study at Walnut Street Church of Christ and Buckaloo Pentecostal Holiness Church where she went to weekly services. Even at the very end of her life Pamela would tell hospital staff about her love of God. Her last few months were a testament of her faith and dedication to her Christian walk.

Pamela was predeceased by her parents Jake Hamilton Hunt and Gladys Rae (Armstrong) Hunt. Surviving in addition to her husband David Kurt Whidden are her four daughters Sherri Lee Norton, Susan Rebecca Hambrick, Sheila Michelle Whidden, Angela Kay Tekell, and her son-in-law Jonathan Richard Tekell. She has six grandchildren Tiffany Michelle Hambrick, Ashley Michelle Armondi, Victor Jake Norton, Marisa Rae Tekell, Natalie Christine Tekell, and Joshua Owen Tekell. She has two great grandchildren Isaiah Matthew Berkley and Elijah James Hambrick. She has one brother Joel Hamilton Hunt and sister-in-law Susan Jean Hunt.

A remembrance service was held at Northside Church of God on July 27, at 12 p.m., 5252 Dunn Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32218. There was a viewing from 10:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. before the service and a meal afterwards.

There will be a separate Life Celebration service on Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. at Buckaloo Pentecostal Holiness Church, 420 S. Shackleville Rd., Greenville, AL 36037.

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