Juanell Janiece Robinson

Juanell Janiece McReynolds Robinson, 87, of Waxahachie passed away Sunday, June 18, 2023, at home surrounded by family. She was a retired educator and Assemblies of God missionary and pastor with her husband. She loved the Lord, her family, babies, horses, games, working, road trips to visit family, and taking care of her guests. 

Services are Wednesday, June 28, at Wayne Boze Funeral Home in Waxahachie. Visitation opens at 9 a.m. and the funeral starts at 11 a.m. A procession to Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery will follow.

Juanell and her fraternal twin sister Juanda were born the last of six children to Robert and Mantie McReynolds on April 21, 1936, in Andrews, Texas.

Juanell grew up on Scharbauer ranches Horse Camp and Five Wells in West Texas, where her father worked as foreman. She loved recounting childhood memories from there.

Her father became Gaines County sheriff when she was 14. She enjoyed barrel racing, riding her horse War Baby, riding in parades around West Texas, playing saxophone in the Seminole High School marching band, being a cheerleader and playing volleyball and – the most rigorous school sport available to girls at the time – half-court basketball.

When her father died in a car accident in 1953, it shaped the spiritual life of many McReynolds family members. Mantie was appointed to fulfill her husband's term as sheriff, being sworn in from her hospital bed. The pastors of a nearby Assembly of God Church, Bro. and Sis. Vassar, offered comfort to the family during their hospital ministry rounds.

Their guidance and friendship inspired Juanell to change her plans of pursuing the new intercollegiate rodeo program at Sul Ross University to studying missions at Southwestern Bible College, now Southwestern Assembly of God University.

After graduating in 1958, Juanell worked at Daniel Memorial Orphanage, now Pleasant Hills Children's Home, in Fairfield, Texas. She married John Robinson on Jan. 24, 1959. Together they served in the ministry at churches in Las Vegas, N.M., and Rock Island, Texas; as dorm parents and Highway Chapel pastors at Pleasant Hills Children’s Home; as directors and dorm parents of the A/G youth hostel in Tokyo, Japan; as pastors of Yokota Air Base Servicemen’s Church in Fussa, Japan; as educators at Bethel Bible Institute in Manila, Philippines, now Bethel Bible College of the Assemblies of God; and directors of the A/G’s Philippine Literature Evangelism.

Upon returning to North Texas in 1981, Juanell loved and taught countless children as an elementary teacher at Bethel Christian School in Arlington, Calvary Christian Academy in Irving, and Lighthouse Christian Academy in Dallas. She was involved in lay ministry leadership at Bethel Assembly of God in Arlington and loved opening her home to anyone who needed a place to stay for a while.

After retiring from teaching in 2009, Juanell tutored students at Presbyterian Children's Home in Waxahachie. Until physically unable a decade later, she enjoyed attending her son and daughter-in-law's church, Life Fellowship, in Kennedale; the Cowboy Church of Ellis County; and University Assembly of God in Waxahachie.

She died from the effects of stroke and Alzheimer's. She will be remembered for her gregarious nature, adventurous spirit, gorgeous smile, infectious laugh, and buoyant faith.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John Robinson; brother Jack McReynolds; and sisters Juanda Allen and Barbara "Bobbie" Palmer. She is survived by her son, Pastor Danny Robinson, and daughter-in-law, Beverly Robinson, of Kennedale; daughter Cynthia Hileman and son-in-law Larry Hileman of Red Oak; daughter Christy Robinson and son-in-law Brian Peters of Waxahachie; granddaughter Janiece Turner and her husband, Guy Turner, of Waxahachie; granddaughter Keena Robinson of Austin; great-granddaughters Carolina and Lucy Turner; sister Virginia “Billie” Sledge of Kingwood; brother Charlie McReynolds of Garland; and her cats, Bandi and Heidi.

Donations to the Dr. Mary Jackson Doctoral Degree Scholarship Fund via SAGU’s 2027 Project can be made in Juanell’s honor at https://raisedonors.com/sagu/endowed-m-jackson