Rites Thursday for Joan Whitehead

Funeral services will be held at Criswell Funeral Home, 2:00 Thursday, December 16 ^th , with Rev. Jamie Perry officiating.

Joan (Cotton) Whitehead, 85, of Allen passed away Thursday, December 9, 2021 at home. She was born September 28, 1936 in Atwood, Oklahoma to William Carl Cotton and Annie Lee (Howell) Cotton.

She attended and graduated from Atwood Public School and was a childhood member of the First Baptist Church of Atwood where she was baptized. Joan married Walter Jay Whitehead, May 29, 1959 at the First Baptist Church of Atwood and the couple soon made their home in Allen. They had two children, Estella Ann (Whitehead) Taylor and David Wayne Whitehead, both of Allen.

Joan was employed for more than 50 years at McCall’s Chapel, retiring in 2018. She completely dedicated her life to her work with the residents at McCall’s Chapel in hopes of making a difference in their lives. From what we’ve been told by residents’ family, she achieved her life goal.

Survivors include her daughter, Ann Taylor; son, David Whitehead and wife Mary; grandchildren, Justin Taylor and wife Ashley; Kierra Howard and husband Chris, Derek Whitehead and Kennedi; and Kendra Ashby; great-grandchildren, Maycee Howard, Malloree Howard, Tylynn Taylor, Raiden Colby, Grasyn Whitehead, Maebree Howard, Layten Ashby, Greyson Taylor, Gracie Taylor and another great grandson on the way; and several other beloved family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Walter; her parents; siblings; son-in -law, Robert Taylor; grandson, Sean Taylor; and great grandson, Paul Michael Tatum.

Pallbearers are Derek Whitehead, Chris Howard, Tylynn Taylor, Tim Harrison, Chance Harrison and Ryan Colby. Honorary pall bearers are Jack Bryant, Sr., Jack Bryant, Jr., Otto Harrington and all of her nephews.