“ORANGE COUNTIES BLOODIEST SATURDAY” so read the headline Sunday morning. Five deaths in three hours brought great sorrow to many families. A head-on crash took the lives of three adults. A four year old boy died in Anaheim. Jolene WHITMER died on the street in Santa Ana a short distance from her home. Jolene was a remarkably beautiful child, both body and spirit, who had somehow connected and tried to prepare her family for what lay ahead.
An adventuresome child Jolene was forever under, around, over and through everything. Her exuberance and energy knew no bounds as this blond blue-eyed bundle of energy relished life every minute of her four and a half years here on earth. Jolene was born 29 April 1968 much to the delight of her three brothers and her parents. Her arrival into the world was welcomed with great joy
and happiness. Her full medium brunette head of hair, surrounding her round fair complexion were dim in comparison to her bright blue eyes that sparkled as she learned about life. Her dark hair became champagne blonde. Whether she was under a bed or climbing to the highest limb of a tree she soared. She wanted to go, to do and see as many things as she could.
One of her favorite pastimes was waiting until her brothers were engrossed in activity then; stealthily and with precision sneak behind them and grab a handful of hair, squealing and fleeing as they vehemently protested. She was quick. When her baby sister was born she and the boys were intensely pleased. The two girls became good friends as they played together making mud pies and planting pinto beans in little buckets of sand on the front porch.
At age four, Jolene could “spider crawl” better than the Cub Scouts her brothers age; much to the other boys distress and her brothers delight. In dexterity she could and did put all eight year boys to shame, save it be her brothers who enjoyed teaching and playing with this bundle of spirited laughter. Jolene was as comfortable diggings holes and getting dirty as she was playing dolls and being feminine.
Two days before she died on 14 October 1972, she came in from outdoors and told her mother, “Mommy, don’t make any more dresses I don’t need anymore.” Jolene then ran back out to play with her brothers leaving her mother very bewildered and very unknowing. On that fateful Saturday morning and jut one hour prior to her death she came in and teasingly said: “Mommy, I’m not going to be at church anymore so I have hidden my shoes.” Tilting her head back with gleeful giggles she ran back outside to play and tease her brothers.
Shortly thereafter Jolene came in and while sitting upon her mother’s lap, she played with her baby sister and sang favorite songs with her mother as she hugged, kissed, and loved on both. Over and over again she sang her favorite song;” I Am a Child of God” Again and playfully she intently said; “I hid my shoes because I won’t need them anymore!” An ominous cloud hovered close.
Jolene was right she didn’t need her Sunday shoes. She would run out in front of a car less than an hour later. Her shoes? They were found placed beneath the kitchen sink where she had safely secured them from sight. The circumstances and aftermath of the fateful accident are another story waiting to be told. It is sufficient to finish this story simply: Jolene’s bright vivaciousness brought untold joy to all those with who she came in contact in during her short sojourn here on earth.
She would be buried in new shoes.