Jeanne Miller Jenson

Alice Jeanne Engleman Ellis Miller Jenson, age 94, was a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend to all, and the two roles she cherished most.... a servant to our Lord and our mom, departed this life on the evening of July 17, 2020/ In addition to being a wonderful mother she was a grandmother to 28 grandchildren, a great-grandmother to 22 great-grandchildren, and blessed to be a great-great-grandmother to 5.

Saying she "lost" her battle with dementia would be putting it mild as she fought and fought her way during that terrible disease in her final few years of life. She never gave up even when the odds seemed to be against her and endured painful periods until she was called home to be in the presence of her Father in Heaven.

Jeanne is survived by one brother, David; and her eight children, Sandra, Don, Dian, Debbie, Tanya, Tina, Tammie, and Pam who reside in Texas and Utah. She is preceded in death by her parents; one brother; and her husbands.

Jeanne was born on April Fool's Day in 1926, but it was no fooling as she graced our world with zest and light. Her dad, John Sharp Engleman a publisher from Missouri spoiled his only girl and she enjoyed every minute of it. Her mother Zora Jane Reynolds was a homemaker from Tioga, Texas and later a school teacher and that is where mom developed her love of books and knowledge and late on became a writer of her own. She loved her brothers and was saddened with losing one, Don, to Polio at a young age thus relying on David to make childhood memories.

Her father ran the Tulia Herald for many years and provided a good life for their family in a small town. She enjoyed the freedom to roam from Canyon to Amarillo with her cousins and friends and thus her adventurous spirit was born. That continued throughout her lifetime. She would often pack her suitcases and jump in her car and hit the road. One time the car broke down and she was stranded but not for long as a trucker picked her up and took her to the next town. She loved every minute of that trip. That's how she approached life.

In 1942 she married John Ellis in Lubbock, Texas during the war time and as difficult life was she made the best of it and went to work at the Container Corp to support her family.

In 1951 she married David Miller in Fort Worth, Texas and they had a successful business, Miller Maid Kitchens, placing kitchen cabinets in houses all through the Metroplex. And I bet today there are still homes with those cabinets. She ran the office and did the book work. When she was not busy at the business she was heavily involved in her church, the United Methodist of Joshua, Texas. Helping young girls in their bible studies, life studies and boy studies. She often counseled many girls when they could not go to their parents with problems or concerns about their lives.

She was productively involved with Girl Scouts and promoting church camp outings and ensuring the teachings of the Lord were shared along with fun and laughter. Even making sequenced soap was somewhat fun!

If you knew she was making her fried chicken you surely would be coming to any church social gathering. In the later years she enjoyed having a bakery in Walnut Springs where she made kolaches and her famous chocolate chip cookies.

In 1994 she married Jay Jenson and moved to Clifton on a huge farm where she enjoyed her country life, gardening, sewing and writing.

After Jay's death she made the permanent move to S. Utah and found great joy in the beauty of the mountains. She would take many trips in to Zion National Park, her favorite to see the deer feeding in the meadow in the evenings. She lived in Hurricane, Utah on her own in her apartment with her friends and family near by for many years, until recetly moving back to Meridian, Texas in assisted living.

Jeanne spent a lifetime enriching the world with her laughter, her wisdom, her music (piano playing and singing), her very creative and imaginative writings and deep relationships with her family members. We all have such sweet endearing memories of the times spent with her that are countless. Playing Skipbo, King On the Corner, Dominoes and our family game Crazy Bridge. Sharing our lives with her.

Although we are saddened by her passing, we do rejoice that our Lord will take good care of her and heal all her wounds and make her whole until we can be together again.

Jeanne's most famous words at the end of every visit or meeting were.... "Have a Good Life", added with a hug and kiss.

Jeanne's Celebration of Life Service will be held on July 25, 2020 at Lawson Funeral Home in Meridian, Texas at 11:00 A.M.

***DUE TO COVID-19 the first 50 people will be allowed in.
*** Flowers are welcomed or donations of your choice to your favorite charity.

Arrangements were made by Lawson Funeral Home, Meridian, Texas 254-435-2792.