Jonell Roebuck White

She was born in 1935 at Lake, MS, where she graduated high school and met her future husband, James Lloyd White, a returning GI. Together they moved to Jackson where they raised three children and knitted their lives in the fabric of the south Jackson Leavell Woods community and later the Bay Park community in Brandon. Jonell is probably best known for the decades she spent as a real estate agent in the Rankin County reservoir community, specializing in finding homes for young families. While earlier she worked at the Sears store on State St. and the McCarty Holman company, it was real estate work that allowed her gifts to flourish. She loved people; she cared about the quality of their lives; she set her roots deep into a community and knew every street and alley in the bourgeoning reservoir area. She loved her Church, North Brandon Church of Christ, and held a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. And nearly as important as her faith, she loved her bridge club. If real estate cultivated her nurturing side, bridge cultivated her fierce competitive side.

Her nurture and her ferocity came together as the family matriarch. She went to great lengths to care for her children and grandchildren—including chauffeuring errant loved ones with suspended licenses; sitting with cancer patients; mediating difficult break ups; providing loans for start-up businesses; and at least once, she gave a tongue-lashing to a little league coach—all in support of her family. Mostly, she loved life—and that is why, it is said, the shy, retiring James Lloyd fell in love with her. In her later years she found pleasure in her beautiful garden, the birds it attracted, and her dog, Lexi.

She is survived by brothers Roger Roebuck of Vancleave, MS; Elmo Roebuck of Jackson, MS. Also surviving are her children, David F. White and wife, Melissa, of Austin, TX; Kathy Mistal of Flowood, MS; and Susan Pope, and husband Peter, of Madison, MS.; and grandchildren Matthew Mistal of Bethel, CT; Jayme Mistal of Brandon, MS; Katie Mistal of Flowood, MS; Chris Helms of Brandon, MS. and Betsy Crowe of Atlanta, GA; and great-grandchildren Avery and Eden Mistal; Colby and Kylie Mistal; and Vander Helms.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Lloyd, who died in 1999.

Funeral services will be held at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl, MS at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2016. Visitation will be on Friday, January 15, 2016, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. She will be buried at Lakewood Memorial Park in Clinton.

Send memorials to North Brandon Church of Christ, P.O. Box 251, Brandon, MS. 39043.