Neva Jean White

Notes:

Neva White Alexander died peacefully on Thursday, January 6, 2022 surrounded by those who loved her dearly. She battled myriad health issues for many years, demonstrating enormous courage and will to live. She was born December 10, 1940 in the piney woods of East Texas to Bill & Abilene White. She was the only girl, sandwiched between two brothers, Kenneth & Benny. Oldest brother, Don, died as an infant during the great Depression before her birth. She was a beloved sister to both her brothers and the apple of her daddy's eye.

She married very young, at age 15 to a young sailor boy from Hemphill who had just returned from a tour of duty in Korea. She and Robert Earl Reeves had two daughters together. Their oldest daughter, Lynn, was born just two months after Neva turned 17. In spite of being a young wife and mother, she graduated top of her class from Bronson High School in 1958. Second daughter, Les, followed in the fall of 1961. Neva and Robert Earl divorced in 1963. She worked for the Starr Family in Hemphill and for Sabine County in the County Clerk's office in the 50's & 60's. She later went to work for the State of Texas doing lab work for brucellosis testing on cattle where she met a rugged cowboy named Harlan Alexander. They were married on their way to a rodeo in August of 1968. Harlan brought two daughters into the marriage, Tammy & Connie. Together, Harlan and Neva had a baby girl who was stillborn in April of 1970. They continued to work for the State of Texas testing cattle for a couple years but the relocating from county to county was hard on family life so after a stint in Crockett and then Livingston, they moved to Jasper and settled in 1970 where she lived for the remainder of her life. In 1973, another baby girl, Leah was born. Their "yours, mine & ours" family was complete with 5 daughters.

Neva worked for Sandy Roane Insurance and then for many years at the Jasper County Courthouse ? in the County Tax Assessor's office and later as secretary to the County Judge.

Her greatest joy in life came from being Gran. She was Gran to many, many young people but the official grandchildren in her life were Cody & Craig Richardson, Ross & Ryan Dickerson, Alexis Nasche, Hannah Hensarling, Jasi Shaw Worden, and Lane & Bret Shaw. Her life was surely extended by the birth of great grandson Beau Crofford Worden last March.

Neva was plagued with serious health issues for much of her adult life. She suffered for many years from chronic pain caused by scoliosis and many unsuccessful back surgeries. Additionally, she lived with a life-threatening blood clotting disorder, suffered a stroke in her mid-40's, had ovarian cancer, colon cancer before being diagnosed with lung and breast cancer in the Fall of 2018. At the time she was told to expect to live 6 months to a year. She lived 3 ? more years. Life was never easy for Neva but she was a trooper.

Neva had beautiful handwriting; folded clothes neatly and precisely; made her bed every day; was a stickler for tidiness; loved Diet Cokes, puzzles, reading and watching food shows on TV. In her final years, she loved her ipad where Facebook gave her a window to the world and allowed her to be in community with many friends. Her happiest hours were spent sitting in the bleachers at youth rodeos watching Jasi, Lane and Bret compete.

She was predeceased by her family of origin ? her daddy & mother, brothers, infant daughter Tony Deneva and grandson Ryan Hunter Dickerson. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Harlan Alexander, daughters Lynn Reeves Dickerson (Ron), Leslie Reeves Nasche (Pam Gentry), Leah Alexander Shaw (Jason), step daughters Tammy Alexander Hensarling (Jimmy) and Connie Alexander Richardson (Mike); 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank Harbor House Hospice and especially Kenzi, Marci and Lori for their excellent loving care.

Visitation will be Saturday, January 8, from 5pm -8pm at Stringer Funeral Home with services following on Sunday, January 9 at 2pm. Graveside following at Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ryan Dickerson Scholarship fund at Stanislaus Community Foundation, 100 Sycamore Suite 200, Modesto, CA 95354 or online at scf.iphiview.com.

Services are under the direction of Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home of Jasper.

Downloaded from Stringer and Griffin website

Also published in The Sabine County Reporter, January 12, 2022, page 4

Neva married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Neva married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]