Mansell & Jeannie Rainbolt

Mansell Byrum Rainbolt, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, passed away on December 24, 2024, at the age of 88 in Burleson, Texas. Born on January 10, 1936, in Coon Creek Community, Texas, to Chester and Erna Byrum Rainbolt. Mansell's life was one of hard work, dedication, and a passion for learning and discovery.

Mansell was a proud graduate of Arlington Heights High School, in Fort Worth, Texas, where he met his high school sweetheart, Jean Messick. The two married on December 23, 1953, and were blessed with 34 years of marriage and four children. Mansell’s commitment to his family and to his work was evident throughout his life.

Determined to further his education, Mansell worked as a route manager for the Star-Telegram while putting himself through college. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Texas Christian University and went on to receive a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Houston.

As a technical engineer for NASA, Mansell contributed to the Apollo Space Program and played a key role in the first manned lunar landing and mapping the moon. His contributions to space exploration were a source of great pride throughout his life.

Mansell’s professional journey continued with MITRE, where he worked in various locations including Texas, Hawaii, Virginia, and Germany. He traveled the world in his capacity with the organization, forging lasting friendships and gaining a wealth of life experiences along the way.

Mansell was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Erna Byrum Rainbolt, his second wife, Pat Bowry Rainbolt, who passed after nearly 27 years of marriage and his sister, Maxine Sarratt.

He is survived by his three daughters, Deb Rainbolt-Zuber and husband Billy of Granbury, TX, Donna Patton and husband Bobby of Burleson, TX, Dana Rainbolt-Brunk of Bentonville, AR, and son, David Rainbolt and wife Aline of Mililani, HI. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren: Joshua Rainbolt, Blake Young, Brent Patton, Chad Patton, Cody Brunk, Summer Peach, and Autumn Rainbolt, as well as 14 great-grandchildren. Mansell’s memory will be cherished by his family and numerous friends.

He will be remembered for his deep love for his family, his remarkable career, and the indelible impact he made on everyone who knew him. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the generations that followed.

A memorial service will be held to honor his life and legacy at Laurel Land Funeral Home ,Chapel of Chimes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Mansell’s family takes comfort in knowing he is now reunited with those he loved and cherished. He will be deeply missed, but his spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Jeannie Yevonne Messick Rainbolt, born October 14, 1934, in Lancaster, Texas, passed away on December 28, 2024, in Burleson, Texas. She was 90 years old at the time of her death.

Jeannie was the daughter of Riley Alvertice Messick and Myrtle Embrey Messick. She was raised in a loving and faith-filled household. Beginning her education in a small town before moving to Fort Worth, where she graduated from Arlington Heights High School.

On December 23, 1953, Jeannie married her high school sweetheart, Mansell Byrum Rainbolt, and the two shared 34 years of marriage, raising four children together. They were blessed with a beautiful family, and Jeannie dedicated much of her life to nurturing and supporting her children. She was also the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Jeannie’s career began as a sales lady for Stripling & Cox Department Stores, followed by work as an operator for Southwestern Bell. However, it was in the roles of housewife and mother that she found her true calling. After her children grew older, Jeannie pursued further studies and became an office assistant and an ordained minister. She cherished her years as a volunteer, particularly at Huguley Hospital, where she served as a spiritual counselor and worked in the gift shop.

Jeannie’s travels were a source of great joy to her. She had the unique experience of living in both Hawaii and Germany during her marriage to Mansell, and later, she purchased an RV to explore nearly every state in the U.S. Her love for travel and adventure never waned, and she relished the memories made during those journeys.

Jeannie was preceded in death by her parents, Riley and Myrtle Messick, her former husband Mansell Rainbolt, and her brother, Roger Messick. She is survived by her four children: Deb Rainbolt-Zuber and her husband Billy of Granbury, TX; Donna Patton and her husband Bobby of Burleson, TX; Dana Rainbolt-Brunk of Bentonville, AR; and David Rainbolt and his wife Aline of Mililani, HI. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Joshua Rainbolt, Blake Young, Brent Patton, Chad Patton, Cody Brunk, Summer Peach, and Autumn Rainbolt, as well as 14 great-grandchildren.

Jeannie’s family and friends will forever remember her as a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and friend. She had a warm, kind heart and a faith that never wavered. Her legacy of love, kindness, and devotion to others will live on in the many lives she touched.

A memorial service will be held in her honor, and her family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Community Healthcare of Texas at Huguley (Hospice).

Jeannie will forever be missed but always remembered with love and gratitude for the profound impact she had on everyone who knew her.