Obituary of Diane Jenkins

Diane Villareal Jenkins, 69, passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022. She is preceded in death by her parents John and Stella Villareal; loving husband, Hilton Prejean; and brother John Michael Villareal. Left to cherish Diane’s memory are her sons Michael Jenkins and wife, Jennifer, Aaron Prejean; daughters Leslie Montemayor and husband, Dennis, Tambrey Webb and husband, Jeff, Katie Gonzalez and husband, Jonathan, Amanda Trejo and husband, Jorge; brothers Jon Jon Villareal, John Paul Villareal; sisters Brenda Griffith, Becky Villareal; grandchildren Leo, Jack, Daniel, Zachery, Zoe, Ashtyn, Evangeline, and a host of many other family and friends.

Diane was an incredible mother to her children. She worked extremely hard to provide for and take care of her family, and she did an amazing job at it. Diane cherished her grandchildren more than anything. She would often sit or lay down on the floor to play with them, and she enjoyed sending them treats in their Valentine’s Day, Halloween, birthday, and Christmas cards. Diane enjoyed 15 years being in love with Hilton Prejean, who passed in 2017. They enjoyed hosting family gatherings, hanging out at the beach house, and traveling the country. Diane’s favorite place to visit was New York City.

Diane worked at several places during her lifetime. She was employed for a time at Prudential; she threw newspapers from her van, often bringing her children along; and she worked at A Place to Grow Daycare, shaping the lives of many children. Her favorite job was working as a dresser for Theatre Under the Stars. She had an absolute blast working on shows such as The Wizard of Oz, Grease, and Annie. Diane made many lifelong friends and cherished memories at the Theatre.

Wherever she went, Diane spread love and laughter. She provided years of memories to family and friends by sharing her beach house with others. She was very creative and enjoyed crafting and making pinatas, signs, costumes, greeting cards, Christmas yard art, and stockings. She passed along her love of creativity and crafts to her children. Diane enjoyed celebrating holidays and birthdays by sending out her famous cards, which brought joy to many. She would make special phone calls just to sing her signature rendition of “Happy Birthday” to her loved ones. Diane was a sports enthusiast and loved watching and cheering on her hometown Rockets, Texans, and Astros with family and friends. She loved to show her team spirit by making noise makers, signs, yard art, and modified fan attire. Diane loved keeping her yard looking nice and enjoyed mowing, landscaping, and meticulously weeding her acre lot. She was also a great cook and loved preparing her family’s favorite dishes. Diane will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Services for Diane will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 West Broadway, Pearland, Texas. Visitation is scheduled from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. The funeral service will be held at 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to donate in her memory to Theatre Under the Stars at tuts.com/support so that generations of Houstonians can continue to enjoy live theater. And to keep Diane’s memory alive, enjoy a theater show; cheer on the Astros, Rockets, or Texans; belt out a sterling verse of “Happy Birthday” to a friend on their special occasion; or visit the beach with your families and loved ones – and hold them tight every day you can.