Services will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 1:00 P.M. at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home, 1917 Archer City Hwy, Wichita Falls, TX. Viewing will be on Saturday morning before the service. After the service, refreshments will be served at the funeral home for fellowship for mourners.
Jena, the daughter of James Ray Pope and Mary Faith McMurtry (Montene Pope-Merchant), was born on May 11, 1961, in Greenville, TX.
Jena had such a zest for life and lived her life to the fullest. She was always a child at heart. She always loved cats and doing helpful things for others. She provided many needed items for many friends and for those she did not know. Each night she fed all the neighborhood cats at her back door. She loved children and had a wonderful loving relationship with her granddaughters, Selbie Shugs Gonzalez and Jaiden Elizabeth Smith.
At age four, she was preceded in death by her dad, James Ray Pope, in an auto accident on August 16, 1965.
Jena was a cheerleader during her junior high years at Greenville, TX. She and her brother, Johnny Mac, spent many happy hours at the YMCA in Greenville through the years. When Jena was 14, she was preceded in death by her brother, Johnny Mac Pope, age 16, on June 15, 1975, in a motorcycle accident. Johnny was her best buddy, and she missed him dearly.
Jena loved her MaMaw and Papaw Pope along with many uncles, aunts, and a host of cousins. Many of her happiest days were spent at MaMaw and Papaw Pope's home. She felt her MaMaw Pope was the most Godly woman she ever knew. She attended the Pentecostal Church with her MaMaw as she was growing up. She still attended Pentecostal churches through the years. Jena had a big heart and was a Christian.
In 1976, Jena and her Mom moved to Amarillo, TX. She had attended Greenville, TX schools and then Canyon, TX schools. Jena married Tim Podzemny in Clovis, NM in 1977 at the young age of 16 years old. To this union a son, Cody Mac Podzemny, was born. She was preceded in death by Cody Mac on January 14, 2005, when Cody was almost 27 years old due to a fatal asthma attack.
Jena later married Dave Gonzalez in Amarillo, TX in 1980. To this union a son, David Erik Gonzalez was born on August 4, 1981. While living in Amarillo, Jena was employed by a telephone sales/service company.
She and David Erik later moved to Wichita Falls where she met and married Paul Gary Lagerfeld on October 11, 1996. They made their home in Burkburnett, TX and had many happy times through the years, traveling to Hawaii where Paul's mother lived, making trips on the truck throughout the United States, and remodeling their house. Paul has lived in Las Cruces, NM recently taking care of his aging father. Jena was a morning waitress at the local I-Hop for a number of years. As her health began to fail, Jena spent her time doing for others less fortunate than herself. She rescued a number of feral cats and took them to Greenville where our dear friend, Michelle Goen Youtz operates Cause for Paws which has saved over 25,000 pets and found new homes for them in the past nine years.
On July 21, 2011, Jena was preceded in death by her oldest brother, David Pope in Greenville,TX after a long battle with cancer.
Jena Rae will be missed by many cousins, aunts, and uncles and a host of friends along with her Mom and son, David Gonzalez; husband, Paul Lagerfeld; and her precious granddaughters.
In addition to her dad, first son, and two brothers, Jena was also preceded in death by her MaMaw and Papaw Pope, Pearl and A. T Pope, Greenville,TX; her Nonnie Mac and Daddy Mac, Lee Helvey and Clyette McMurtry from Texline and Muleshoe, TX; and a number of aunts and uncles.
She is survived by her husband, Paul Gary Lagerfeld; her son, David Erik Gonzalez and his partner in life, Tamara Quintinilla; a special person in her life Ade Gonzalez; her granddaughter, Selbie Jude Gonzalez; her mother, Montene McMurtry Pope-Merchant, Wichita Falls; dear friend, Karen Smith and her granddaughter Jaiden Smith, Fort Worth; a dear aunt and uncle, Rachel and James Morgan, Irving; a special cousin, Dr. Janet Morgan Glenn, Irving, TX; her aunt Toni McMurty of Chico, TX; her uncle Bob Gray of Wichita Falls, TX; special friends: Betty Loughray, Mesquite, TX; Kathi Holmes, Lubbock, TX; Michelle Goen Youtz, Greenville, TX; and Edie Wallace, Campbell, TX; those she shared with at New Life Organization, Wichita Falls; and her precious cats, Lou Lou and Max. Lou Lou will live with her son, David Gonzalez, and Max will go to Pause for Paws, Greenville, TX.
Jena's wishes were to be cremated. A special bench in her honor will be next to her son, Cody, at the Archer City Cemetery in Archer City, TX.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to be made to Cause for Paws, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that furnishes receipts for tax purposes,
4400 Moulton St., Greenville, TX 75401 or to Patsy's House, an organization for mistreated children in Wichita Falls, TX.
A very special thanks goes to Ade Gonzalez for all her help in making all the arrangements for Jena's going away party. The family will be at 3005 Saxet St., Wichita Falls, TX 76306.
