Jenny Sewell

Jenny Bob Wakeland Sewell departed from this life and went to be with her Lord and Savior July 31, 2023. She was a strong Christian wife, mother, grandmother, great-granny, sister, aunt and friend who lived out her Christian faith all her life.

A celebration of her life will be held at Gambrell Street Baptist Church on Friday, August 4, at 2 pm.

Jenny was born November 20, 1928 in Cleburne, TX to Osce and Grace Jones Wakeland. After Grace’s death in 1933, Jenny was welcomed to the home of her aunt and uncle, Ara and Gurvos Jones in the Godley area. She married Charles Edwin Sewell May 20, 1949 in Burleson, Texas. They were married for 48 years. Charles preceded her in death September 10,1997. Also preceding her in death were Ara and Gurvos Jones, Osce Wakeland, her sisters, Maxine Barr and Mary Ann Martin, her brother-in-law Jimmy Martin, and a special cousin who was like a brother, Tom Frank Jones.

Surviving Jenny are her daughter, Shirley Butts and husband Clark of Midland, grandchildren Jenny Melinda Hall and husband Greg of College Station and Reagan Lee Butts and wife Katie of Tyler, three great grandsons, Hayden Gregory Hall and Harper Charles Hall of College Station, William David Butts of Tyler and one great granddaughter, Eleanor Grace Butts of Tyler. Also surviving are her nieces and nephews Barbara Martin Hays, Rebecca Martin Gardner, Jim (Tammy) Martin, Stephen (Karen) Young, and Elaine Bellan, cousins Ben (Annelle) Jones and Jimmy (Glenda) Jones. She is also survived by wonderful great nieces and nephews, cousins, and a host of treasured friends who have become family.

Special caregivers made it possible for her to stay in her home. We are forever grateful to Rebecca Laughlin, Janet Hammond, Angela Wynn, Yvonne Baylor, Rosa Breito, Shae Covey, and Eric and Kattie Pointer for their faithful love and constant care.

“Jenny Bob” or “Bob” as she was affectionately called by family and friends had a long, full life. She and Charles began farming and dairying in Crowley when they married and stayed there for the rest of their lives. She accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was 13 and was baptized at Godley Baptist Church. In 1955, she joined Gambrell Street Baptist Church where she taught 4th grade Sunday School, worked in the nursery, and served on committees well into her 80s until she could no longer drive. She was active in the community and enjoyed PTA, Crowley ISD FFA groups and Chamber of Commerce activities. She started work at Santa Fe Trail/Freight/Rail in Fort Worth in 1955 and continued to work for Santa Fe in Garland and Cleburne until she retired in 1983. After Charles died, she chose to stay on the farm and she operated it with loving assistance from Robert, Jeanette and Cody Burns. She especially loved her pets.

In her later years, she was able to remain on the farm she loved, and even though Alzheimer’s Disease, diagnosed in 2015, and a stroke in 2017 limited her memory and mobility, she lived happily, read her Bible, daily devotionals, the newspaper front-to-back, and prayed until she passed away. She never lost her sense of humor, her gift of hospitality or her concern for pleasing others.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Gambrell Street Baptist Church, 1616 West Gambrell Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76115.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

A Celebration of Life for Jenny will be held Friday, August 4, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Gambrell Street Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, TX 76115. Following the service, there will be a reception from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Laurel Land Funeral Home, 7100 Crowley Road, Fort Worth, TX 76134.