Jenifer Anne Ponder, age 51, formerly of Charleston, died Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at her home in Reynolds County, MO.

Born April 8, 1974, at Sikeston, MO, to Rudy and Mary Susan Slaten Ponder who survive of Sikeston, Jenifer was raised in Charleston where she was the Salutatorian of the 1992 graduating class and a member of the First Baptist Church.  Jenifer went on to obtain her BSN in Nursing from the last graduating class of Northeast State University, now known as Truman State. For the past several years she had lived in Reynolds County.

On September 9, 2009, she married Michael Coote, who preceded her in death in 2014.

Surviving in addition to her parents is her daughter, Hannah Grace Coote; her brothers, Billy (Mandy) Ponder and Andy (Becca) Ponder; nieces and nephews, Nick, Nicole, Austin, Olivia, Isabella, Ella and Emily; her sister in law and brother in law, Leslie and Chris Hopkins; as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her grandparents, Bill Ponder, Helen Elderbrook Ponder, Gene and Ruth Steward Slaten and her uncles, Johnny Slaten and John Ponder.

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 5, 2025, at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.  Rev. Glen Cantrell, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Sikeston, will officiate.

Interment will follow in the Dogwood Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

Pallbearers will be Billy Ponder, Andy Ponder, Nick Ponder, Lonnie Ponder, Chris Hopkins and Chris Waggoner.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Missouri Baptist Children's Home, 11300 Saint Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044.