There are angels who walk among us here on Earth, just as surely as there are angels in Heaven.
Late Monday afternoon, God called one of His Earthly angels home, Elizabeth Jeanette Whitaker, age 60.
She was known by several titles, including daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, and grandmother. Her given name was Elizabeth Jeanette (Black) Whitaker, but to those who loved her most, she was simply called Mom, and Mamaw.
God graciously allowed Jeanette the time to say her goodbyes and spend time with loved ones, which we now know is why all efforts to cure or even slow the cancer were unsuccessful. This was His plan, and He allowed us this time to prepare for her departure. She suffers no more and we know she is rejoicing with her mother, father, older brother, and a brother-in-law, as well as other loved ones who have gone before her.
Born on March 11, 1957, Jeanette was the third of four children born to Joseph and Sarah Black, of Anniston. She was a 1975 graduate of Anniston High School, and later that year married her only husband, Al Whitaker, also of Anniston. She was blessed with three children, Jennifer, Michael and Christopher, and later with three grandchildren, Logan, Madelyn and Bella.
She worked a number of jobs over the years to help support first her family and eventually herself, but she spent the majority of her life as a fulltime mother and grandmother, the role she cherished most.
She follows her parents; older brother, Kenneth Black; and brother-in-law, Luther Dutton, to their Heavenly home. Left behind to cherish her memory is her daughter and angel in training, Jennifer Bentley and her husband Brian, of Decatur; sons, Michael Whitaker and his wife Lindsey, of Decatur, and Christopher Whitaker, of Tanner; sisters, Dorothy Dutton and Barbara Black, of Anniston; grandchildren, Logan and Madelyn Bentley, of Decatur, and Bella Spitler, of Lawrence County; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and a plethora of pseudo children.
While her passing leaves a terrible void in all of our hearts, we know an angel now watches over us, and that one day we will all be together once again. What a glorious day that will be.
Visitation will be held at Roselawn Funeral Home, 741 Danville Rd., Decatur, AL on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, from 2-3 p.m. with the celebration of life to immediately follow.
