Jennifer Celina Royall

Jennifer Celina Vergel Royall, a beloved member of the Dallas and Park Cities communities, was born on July 24, 1968, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, to her parents, Hilda Zara and Nelson Vergel. She was one of 6 children and enjoyed having an identical twin sister, a younger sister and three brothers. As a child, Jennifer developed as an accomplished choral singer and soprano soloist and she used her singing ability to bless others her entire life. In 1987, Jennifer joined her brother, Nelson, in Houston, who had started his career there. She quickly mastered English and then enrolled in The University of Houston to begin her studies.

Jennifer met her husband of 29 years, Sean Royall, in the summer of 1989 in Houston. They were married in Cypress, Texas, Sean’s childhood home, a year later. Jennifer and Sean started married life in Dallas. Jennifer transferred to The University of Texas at Arlington. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics in 1992. They moved back to Houston and Jennifer took her first post-college job working as a Business Analyst at Coastal Energy. In 1993, Jennifer and Sean moved to Northern Virginia, where they settled and bought their first home in Falls Church, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Jennifer worked for a DC-based international consulting firm and later enrolled in the MBA program at George Mason University, again graduating summa cum laude.

Jennifer was dedicated to her children and chose to stay home with the first three, born in Fairfax, VA, between 1996 and 2000: Samuel Roth Royall, Nicholas Wilhelm Royall and Claudia Grace Royall. Jennifer became increasingly involved in children’s and women’s ministries at McClain Bible Church. In 2001, Jennifer’s twin sister, Nathalie, and her daughter moved from Italy into Jennifer and Sean’s home so they could live in the United States. Nathalie mastered English and went on to complete her MBA.

In 2003, Jennifer and Sean chose to return to Dallas to be closer to family. Jennifer, after that, enrolled at Dallas Theological Seminary to study for a master’s degree in Divinity. Jennifer and Sean suffered the tragic and unexpected loss of their youngest child, Grace, in 2005. Grace, who was five, passed away at Dallas Children’s Hospital due to septic shock while being treated for appendicitis. In memory of Grace, the Royalls helped endow a program at Dallas Children’s designed to promote early detection and treatment of sepsis. Jennifer and Sean also dedicated a bronze sculpture in Grace’s memory, located in Prather Park near the intersection of St. Johns and Lexington in Highland Park.

Following Grace’s death, Jennifer and Sean were blessed with two more children—John Isaac Royall and Abigail Elizabeth Royall—born in 2006 and 2008. Once settled in Dallas, Jennifer again became active in various ministries. She and the family attended Northwest Bible Church and later Watermark Church where Jennifer served in voluntary leadership positions. After losing their daughter Grace, Jennifer dedicated herself to providing comfort to other families experiencing loss. She also drew on her pastoral and language skills as a volunteer at a non-profit medical clinic serving the Hispanic community. Eventually, Jennifer obtained her certification as a life coach and worked part-time in the field while volunteering her services to many in need within the community.

Jennifer was immensely proud of all of her children and, throughout her life, was an extremely engaged parent who celebrated each child’s many talents and accomplishments. Samuel graduated from the University of Chicago in 2019. Nicholas graduated from NYU in 2021. Isaac is a freshman at Highland Park and Abigail is now in seventh grade at Providence Christian School, where Isaac previously studied.

Jennifer was preceded in death by her daughter Grace and her father, Nelson Vergel. Jennifer’s twin sister Nathalie moved from Virginia to Dallas to be near Jennifer and her family, but sadly passed away in 2015. Jennifer is survived by her four remaining children, her beloved mother Hilda Zara, and four siblings - Nelson Vergel, Juan Carlos Vergel, Yelitza Vergel Elmi, Cesar Vergel and several beloved nieces and nephews. Most of them now live in the Houston area. Jennifer and Sean divorced in 2019 and their combined families have continued to remain very close. Sean’s parents, Don and Joann Royall, were like parents to Jennifer throughout her adult life. She also maintained an extremely close relationship with Mike and Barbara Staley of Houston, who took Jennifer under their care when she first arrived in the United States in her late teens. Jennifer also held close bonds to Nathalie’s two daughters, Elisa Hatfield and Andrea Criswell.

Her family and many dear friends will remember Jennifer as someone who was always there when anyone needed help and who selflessly loved and cared for so many throughout her life.

Services for Jennifer will be held on Thursday, March 31, at 2 p.m. at the Highland Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, adjacent to the SMU campus.

Contributions can be made in Jennifer’s memory to two organizations she often served during her life: Watermark Health, 7616 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy., Suite 405, Dallas, TX, 75251, or Men of Nehemiah, 2010 Al Lipscomb Way, Dallas, TX, 75215.