Mrs. Jessie Pearl Johnson Mullen

Jessie Pearl Johnson Mullen was born on May 23, 1930 in Cheneysboro, Texas to her parents, Richard Johnson and Ida Mae Coleman Johnson. Jessie was the youngest child of 7 children. Jessie’s parents and siblings, Vernon, Earl, Odis, Spencer, Gladys Marie, and Geraldine, all predeceased Jessie.

Jessie’s formal education included elementary school at Smith Chapel School in Richland, TX. She graduated from G.W. Jackson School in Corsicana, TX in 1948. Jessie worked as a housekeeper, personal cook, nanny, personal nurse’s aide, and teacher’s aide. While working these jobs she would often work a second job at Tom’s Potato Chips factory and Collins Street Bakery at nights. Jessie retired from Corsicana Independent School District in 1994.

Jessie accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior in 1939 at the age of 9 years old and was baptized in her home church, Silent Grove Baptist Church in Cheneysboro, TX. As an adult Jessie was a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Corsicana, TX and Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Dallas, Texas. Jessie served in all areas of the children’s ministries at Mount Olive and Metropolitan churches. After her husband Reverend Elbert Mullen’s death in 2014, Jessie regularly attended church at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, with her daughter, where she continued to grow spiritually and gained many new loving friends.

On June 14,1948, Jessie married David Lee Chandler, Sr. and to this union was born a son, David Lee Chandler, Jr. in July 1949. On July 22, 1954, Jessie married Lloyd William Ross, Sr. and to this union were born Linda Dianne Ross in October 1955 and Lloyd William Ross, Jr. in April 1957. On December 29, 1993, Jessie married Reverend Elbert Lee Mullen to whom she was married for 20 years. All of Jessie’s husbands predeceased her.

Jessie had a courageous and prophetic spirit. She was known throughout Corsicana, TX for organizing people in her neighborhood, church, and children’s schools. In 1967, before Corsicana ISD racially integrated schools; Jessie organized a group of black parents to petition the Corsicana ISD School Board and superintendent to permit the first group of 6 black students to attend Collins Middle School. Jessie did not stop there, she also organized 2 years of carpooling for these black students, because there was no public busing to integrate schools.

In her community, Jessie would consistently organize neighbors to plan & prepare meals, and collect monetary gifts for the sick and bereaved. If adequate monetary funds were not collected, Jessie would personally cook and sell homemade meals and desserts to provide the monetary gifts. She was well known throughout the city for her elaborate Christmas decorations and would personally ensure that neighbors unable to complete the task were given lights, decorations and labor. People would come from near and far to see her annual decorations, because she had a different annual theme, and you could count on a life size manger, baby Jesus in the hay, Santa with reindeer on the rooftop, and more!

Jessie loved her nieces and nephews; and children in her churches and community. She had a spiritual gift of listening to, encouraging, and making children feel valued and accountable in character and deeds. She had a gift for cooking all types of meals and her specialty was desserts. Her nephews and neighborhood children would voluntarily perform weekend tasks because they knew they would be treated to delicious lunch/ dinner meals, and desserts when chores were completed. Today, she would be known as the ‘child whisperer.’

Jessie was happiest when she was cooking for and entertaining her family. She was known for her quick and sly wit and playing pranks on family and friends. After retirement, Jessie especially enjoyed spending time with her friends at Friends Place Adult Day Center, listening to Christian and country western music, playing bingo, solving word search puzzles, ‘hand dancing’, watching television game shows, and spending time with family and friends.

On the morning of February 8, 2022, Jessie quietly grasped the hands of angels who escorted her to God and her Savior, Jesus Christ. Jessie is survived by her children, David Lee Chandler, Jr. (Sheila), Linda Ross Robinson, and Lloyd William Ross, Jr. (Patsy); 11 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.laurellanddallas.com for the Mullen family.