Living

Living married Neva Jean White Neva (daughter of William "Bill" Eldridge White and Eloise Abilene Kilburn) was born on 10 Dec 1940 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 6 Jan 2022 in Jasper, Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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

William married Eloise Abilene Kilburn. Eloise was born on 22 Sep 1915 in Texas; died on 3 Jan 1998 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Pineland, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1930 census, Abilene and her sister Elna Kilburn were living in Shelby County with their mother, Bessie Kilburn, and step-grandmother, Martha McKinzie. Also living in the home were 26 year old Carmina Alford and 16 year old Tommie Chambless.

In the BACK IN TIME column of the January 12, 2000 edition of the SABINE COUNTY REPORTER, it is noted that "Twenty years ago" in 1980, the Sabine County Extension Homemakers Club Council organized and its first officers were elected at a meeting at the First Methodist Church. Officers included Abilene WHITE, council delagate.....

The Sabine County Reporter
January 7, 1998, Page 10

Abilene White

Eloise Abilene White, 82. of Route 1, Pineland, died early Saturday, January 3, 1998.

Mrs. White was born Sept. 22, 1915, in Shelby County as a daughter of the late Lee and Bessie Kilburn and had resided on FM 2024 in Sabine County several years. She was a homemaker and a member of the Bethany Missionary Baptist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Survivors: a daughter, Neve Alexander of Jasper, a son, Benny White of Hemphill; a sister, Elna Sanford of Hemphill; eight grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbane, W. E. "Bill" White in 1976 ans a son, Commissioner Kenneth E. White in 1993.

Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the chapel of the Starr Funeral Home Inc. in Hemphill with Bro. Ronnie Whittle of Silsbee, a former pastor of Bethany Missionary Baptist Church, officiating. Interment followed at Pine Hill Cemetery on FM 2024 in Sabine County.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, March 2011)

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listing:

1910 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated 2 May 1910
SD 2 ED 131 Sheet 12A Stamped 177
192-194
Bennett, Adam J Hd M W 53 m1 34 Tx La La Farmer
Bennett, Nancy E Wf F W 54 m1 34 9/7 Ga Ga Ga
Bennett, Charley D Son m W 30 S Tx Tx Ga Laborer Home Farm
Bennett, Jude W Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Ga Laborer Home Farm
White, Benjamin H Boarder M W 20 s La Tx Tx Hewing Ties Railroad
Morris, George Boarder M W 57 Wd Tx La La Driver Hauling Ties


1920 Census
Texas, Sabine,
360-360
White, Benjamin Hd M W 31 M Tx La Tn Sawyer Lumbermill
White, Cora N Wf F W 27 M Tx Tx Tx
White, Lillie A Dtr F W 8 S Tx Tx Tx
White, Eldredge Son M W 5 S Tx Tx Tx

Benjamin married Cora Nevada Griffin on 1 Sep 1910. Cora (daughter of Wiley Griffin and Mary Elizabeth "Lillie" Cartwright) was born on 6 Oct 1892 in Texas; died on 27 Nov 1936; was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr 1
Enumerated 6 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 3A
38-39
Welch, Jenkins Head W M Feb 1857 49 m 30 Ark Miss Ala Farmer
Welch, Louisa F (nee Griffen) Wf W F Jun 1844 55 M 30 9/4 Tx Tenn Tx
Welch, Hannah E Dtr W F Sept 1884 15 S Tx Ark Tx
Griffin, Cora N Niece W F Oct 1892 7 S Tx Tx Tx