Olen Ray Whitley

Olen Ray Whitley of Mexia passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2017 at Mexia LTC Nursing Home. Visitation will be held prior to the funeral on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 from 12 Noon until 2 PM at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at 2 PM in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jimmy Cotton. Burial will follow at Fort Parker Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bryan Parson, Christopher Parson, Wesley Hughes , Thomas Dycus, III , Robert Carpenter, and Alfredo Molina, Jr. Olen was born in Teague, TX to Ivy & Martha Whitley. He grew up in Mexia and often spoke fondly of loving to go school early to play basketball with his friends. He also jokingly would mention the coach’s putting him and a classmate that he got in a fight with at school in boxing gloves and letting them fight it out. He also worked cleaning the school after hours to help his parents support himself and six brothers and sisters He went on graduate from Mexia High school in 1968 and shortly thereafter he was drafted into United States Army to fight in the Vietnam War he was honorably discharged as Specialist Four in 1969 finishing the remaining time of service as a United States Army Reserve. Olen was preceded in death by his son Lance Ray Whitley, his father Ivy Olan Whitley and mother Martha Whitley, brother Mark Whitley and Sister Joann Hughes. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Betty Whitley of Mexia; son Shannon Whitley of Mexia; daughter Holly Molina of Groesbeck; three grandsons, AJ and Aiden Molina of Groesbeck and Benjamin Whitley of Fairfield; siblings Ivy Catherine Harris of Houston, Betty McCeig of Dew, Pauline Parson and Husband Leland Parson of Fairfield, brother Randy Whitley as well as several cousins, nieces and nephews. Three nieces, whom were like daughters, Jennifer Davis and husband Jeff of Dew, Brandy Weinmann and husband Brody of Dew and Sarah Carpenter and husband Robert of Dew. The family would like express a special thank you and gratitude to Mexia LTC and Virginia’s Hospice especially his hospice nurse Cynthia Alvarado, nurse aides Pam and Dotty, and social worker, Shandreka. He loved you all and again, thank you.