Jennie Ruth Thompson Waynick

Jennie Ruth Thompson Waynick, known by close friends and relatives as JR or Junior, was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She left this world on May 1, 2022, in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 86 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. She was born in her grandmother’s house in Lubbock, Texas, to Cecil Buster Thompson and Della Irene Odell Thompson on October 11, 1934. She graduated from Lubbock High School and went on to study piano and organ at Texas Tech University.
Jennie Ruth loved music and was a skilled musician. She taught piano lessons and was a church organist while her children were young, and was happiest when attending a concert, musical theatre, or listening to a soundtrack of one of her favorites. She shared her love of music by singing in the church choir and playing for the children’s choir for many years. Jennie Ruth also loved to read and would often read while listening to music. She loved bible study, book club, and the ladies church group. She was extremely detailed and organized and later used those talents in her career as a paralegal.
Simple pleasures such as playing cards or board games with family and friends brought her joy. She loved reading to or playing with her grand and great-grandchildren and taught them how to play games as well. She loved baking and taught her children and grandchildren how to make her famous Chocolate Chip cookies. One of them perfected the recipe and makes better cookies than hers.
A gracious lady, prim and proper with a dry wit, Jennie Ruth sometimes seemed embarrassed by the more boisterous members of the family. You might catch her giving “the look” to her husband or children and if you looked close enough you might see a small upturn of the corners of her mouth. She always dressed beautifully and politely would remind those an under slip might be needed.
Jennie Ruth met her husband, Phil Allen Waynick, at a church youth group gathering. They married in May 1955 and began a 63-year marriage before Phil passed in 2018.
She is survived by her children Sharise Waynick Mundt (David) and Perry Waynick; granddaughters Ashlyn Brown (Jason), Sharae Crain; granddaughter in law Valerie Morandi Mundt; great-grandchildren Ellie Mundt, Sean Mundt, Maddie Brown, Addilyn Brown, and Thatcher Brown; sister Nancy Jo Wellstead; nieces, nephews, and multiple cousins. She was preceded by her husband Phil Allen Waynick, and grandson Joel David Mundt.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 11 am at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Greenville, South Carolina with visitation before the service at 10 am. The service will be live streamed for those unable to attend. The link is as follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ceqhNGAXY&ab_channel=AldersgateUnitedMethodistChurchGreenville%2CSC
The family requests remembrances are made to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Greenville, South Carolina, or the Alzheimer's Association.