Josephine "JoAnn" Mary Ann (Thurston) McNeely

Josephine “JoAnn” Mary Ann McNeely, 80, of Lumberton, passed away Sunday, July 10, 2016, at Baptist Hospital. She was born on November 27, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, to Mable Estelle Meadows and William Henry Thurston. JoAnn was first and foremost a godly praying lady and taught everyone to be the same.  She was strong and very loving.  She always put others first, especially her family.  She loved her husband until the day she took her last breath.  She was beautiful, smart, classy, funny and you never wondered what she was thinking.  Her love for God was an example we should all follow.  Sister, mother, grandmother, "granny jo" we are blessed because she was ours and there will always be an emptiness until we see her again. She was a member of the Apostolic Church of Beaumont. Josephine was always comical, she always enjoyed making others laugh. Everywhere she went she was the life of the party. JoAnn was full of wit and wisdom. Only God was above her friends and family in her heart.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Reverend Roy L. McNeely; father, William Henry Thurston, Sr.; mother, Mable Estelle Immel; sister, Nancy Belle Miller; son, Freddie Immel.

JoAnn is survived by her children, Rachel Millstid of Lumberton; Ruby Jackson of Trinity; Renee King of Lumberton; Roy Daniel McNeely of Lumberton; brothers, Henry “Sonny Boy” Thurston and wife, Nelva of Vidor; Jimmie Immel and wife, Betty of Silsbee; sister, Patricia Ann Lagel and husband, Woody of Indianapolis, Indiana, grandchildren, Kimberly Riley and husband Jeren of College Station, Reverend James Wesley Jackson and wife, Alesha of Jeanerette, LA, Tara Miller and husband, Jesse of College Station , Tiffany Jackson of Jeanerette, LA, Kyle Jackson and wife, Jaclyn of Warren, Reginald King of LA, Winston Taylor Fish and wife, Cindy of Silsbee, Benjamin Fish of Lumberton; great-grandchildren, Bradley Terry, Alexis Rodriguez, Bella Grace Jackson, Branton Jackson, Chrislyn Jackson, Cameron Jackson, Elliott Miller, Annabelle Jackson, Collin Jackson, Kaitlyn Jackson, Tristin Henry King Duprey, Kloey L. Renee King Duprey, Dixon King, and Ezra Winston Fish.

Her family will receive friends Tuesday July 12, 2016, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at The Lumberton Family Funeral Home.  Her family and friends will be gathering on Wednesday July 13, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m, at The Apostolic Church of Beaumont. The funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m., officiated by Reverend James Wesley Jackson, Reverend Winston Taylor Fish, Reverend Douglas W. Casses and Reverend Jason Carr. Interment will follow at Cunningham Cemetery in Silsbee, Texas. 

Serving as pallbearers will be Bradley Terry, Joseph Clay, Kyle Jackson, Mike Hollyfield, DJ Louvieue, and Joe "Turtle" Casses. Honorary pallbearers are Tommy Kelly, Junior Baker, and Pat Miller.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of JoAnn McNeely, may be made to The Shriners Hospital for Children at 855-401-4877 or www.shrinershospitals.org/Donate‎.