Jonell Persinger

Jonell Persinger, 82, passed away on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, in the home of her oldest son, Charlie, who resides in Arlington, Texas. Funeral: 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 26, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Interment: Greenville Cemetery, Love County, OK. Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Monday, November 25, at the funeral home. Jonell was born on August 10, 1937, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Dan and Luna Faye Bullard. She later married Robert Persinger and together they devoted many years of their marriage to ministry. They pastored churches in Lexington, Tennessee; Clute, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Gainesville, Texas; and in 1977, they moved to Arlington, Texas, where they pastored for over 30 years. 
 Jonell loved spending time with her family, encouraging others, and always looked forward to her sister coming in town so they could shop for treasures at thrift stores. She deeply loved people, but most of all, her Lord, Jesus Christ. If anyone had a special need in their lives, Sis. Persinger was the one who was called, because so many realized that she “knew how to pray.” She was well-known for how special she made everyone feel. She had several adopted sons and daughters and most every child who knew her called her “Granny.” She gave pet names to many who were closest to her and everyone knew that her grandchildren were her “hunks of joy.” 
 She was preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Luna Faye Bullard; her husband, Robert Persinger; brothers Hal David and Donald Bullard; sister Ernestine Jackson; and grandson, Jonathan Lortie. She is survived by her sister, Geraldine Thomas and husband, Paul, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; her children, Charlie Jordon and wife, Kim, of Arlington, Texas; Deborah Reece and husband, Larry, of Clute, Texas; Tammy Cravatt and husband, Tommy, of Joplin, Missouri; Brenda Seigler of Ft Worth, Texas; Victor Persinger and wife, Cheri, of Dayton, Texas; Valencia Lortie and husband, Ross, of Arlington, Texas; 32 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. 
 The family would like to thank Encompass for the wonderful hospice care they provided. Our loss is heaven's gain. Wade Family Funeral Home (817) 274-9233