Jeani Davenport

Jeani L. Davenport, age 65, passed away on July 23, 2025 at her home in McCook, NE. Born on March 12, 1960, to James C. and Sherry L. (Hircock) Davenport in North Platte, NE, Jeani was the second of nine children.

Jeani attended school in Arnold, where she played the clarinet, was part of the team that won the state FFA Range Judging Competition and graduated in 1978. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Agnes Catholic Church, where she was a member.

Jeani spent her childhood on the family farm southeast of Arnold. She enjoyed working on the farm/ranch and was the key component to the highly successful AI program by keeping detailed records. She and her horse, Pinky, were experts at sorting and moving heifers in open pasture and they participated in 4-H together, flying around the poles and barrels.

Her young adulthood found her living in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado working various jobs. She then moved back to Arnold and worked on the farm and at the Model Café. Jeani earned her Medical Lab Technician certificate in 1991 and worked in the eastern part of Nebraska. She took great pride in providing expert care to her patients and protecting their rights.

In her later years, she moved back to Arnold where she lived with her sister, Julie, and brother-in- law, Randy, and dedicated herself to growing a large garden, canning, and caregiving for several Arnold residents. Jeani spent her final years in McCook working at the hospital until she retired in 2020.

Jeani was a fiercely independent woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She drove as if the left lane on the interstate “belonged” to her, much to the horror of any passengers. She had a “need for speed” and had many cherished cars over the years, the final one a Chevy Camaro SS.

She was tough on the outside but had a soft heart. One of her greatest joys were her nieces and nephews. She always spent time shopping for them and got so excited watching them open their gifts. She was always a cat lover and her cats, Tipsy and Gypsy, gave her comfort and companionship in her final years.

Jeani was preceded in death by her parents, James and Sherry Davenport; her grandparents, Darrel and Freda (Bowers) Hircock, Orville and Mary Davenport, and grandmother, Lola (Bean) Davenport; sisters, Joni Claymon and JoDee Kimball; brothers, Michael and Jimmy Davenport; and nephew, Andrew Claymon.

Left to cherish the memories she gave us are her siblings, Julie (Randy) Bailar, Dan Davenport, Jennifer (Jeff) Drey, and Jacque (Ryan) Porter; Aunts Marlene Flodman, Lavilla Estabrooks, and Deanna Morgan, as well as many nieces, nephews, and a host of relatives and friends.

Memorials to family for future designation.

Family will be gathered at Arnold Recreation Area on August 2nd starting at 2:00 pm, to celebrate Jeani’s life. Please stop by for memories, photos, and fellowship. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy some snacks and drinks.