Jeanette Marie Nelum's Obituary
Jeanette Marie (Bell) Nelum was born on February 12, 1929 in
Houston, Texas to Sister Plessie Baker Carr and Isaac Bell. She and her sister,
Evelyn (Bell) Hall, were raised by their grandparents, Ella Baker and Horace
Baker, in Alexandria, Louisiana, next door to the family grocery store. She and
her sister were known in the neighborhood as the trend setting “Baker Girls”.
Jeanette was the singer, giving concerts atop soap boxes waiting for all the
kids to applaud.
Jeanette possessed exceptional mathematical skills even as a small child.
She often amazed the fruit and vegetable suppliers because she was able to
keep an accurate count as they delivered their goods to the store. She later
graduated top of her class from the local catholic school.
Jeanette moved to Omaha, Nebraska (1948), where she spent most of her
adult life. She met and married the love of her life, Milton Joseph Nelum on
October 16, 1959. The two were inseparable and were long time active
members of Zion Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska. While at Zion, she
served as a Willing Worker and Vice-Chairman of the Priscilla Mission Circle,
where she was eager to prep a meal for a sick or distressed friend, share a
kind and encouraging word to those known and unknown. Jeanette was an
Eastern Star (49 years) past Matron of Princess Oziel, Chapter 11, OESTHA
Nebraska jurisdiction.
Jeanette moved to Saint Louis, Missouri (2005) to be closer to her
grandchildren/great grandchildren and will forever be remembered for her
kindness, generosity of spirit and cooking.
Jeanette entered eternal peace on October 12, 2019. She was preceded in
death by her parents, Sister Plessie Baker Carr and Isaac Bell; sister, Evelyn
(Bell) Hall; husband, Milton Joseph Nelum and daughter, Saundra Brown.
She leaves to cherish her memories: one grandson ~ Corey Joseph Gulley
(Lora) of Saint Louis, Missouri; two great grandsons ~ Chandler Josrel Gulley
and Caden Alexander Gulley; two nieces ~ Tamla Hall (Lyndell) of Alexandria,
Louisiana and D’Rhonda Richardson of Norfolk, Nebraska; one sister-in-law ~
Brenda Kelley Nelum (Aldolphus) of Woodbridge, Virginia; and a host of
nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorial donations may be made on behalf of Jeanette Nelum to the
Alzheimer’s Association or Diabetes Association
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