Shirley Mae Mitchner

Shirley Mae Mitchner was born December 3, 1952, in Drew, Mississippi to the late Al and Jessie Mae (Canada) Evans. She was the 11th of 14 children. She received her early education at Drew Schools and united in holy matrimony to Joseph Mitchner of Drew, MS on October 6, 1972. To their union were born three children: Sharon (Mitchner) White (PA), Roketa (Mitchner) Tanner (TX), and Joseph Mitchner, Jr. (FL). She confessed and was baptized at 38 years old at Hellenikon AFB, Greece where her desire to know Christ more and serve Him spilled onto her children.

She served as a devoted, loving, and dutiful helpmate alongside her military husband. They along with their children were stationed in Texas, Greece, England, Nebraska, and Washington DC. Her and her husband’s devotion to each other and family caused them to only seek serving tours where they were always together. While her husband served in the military. She did an array of occupations from being a childcare teacher, clerk, food service worker, and owning her own childcare business. She volunteered to attend many of her children’s field trips. She was a mentor to other military spouse’s and active-duty military women. Her husband taught her the game of softball. She became a valuable player as a pitcher on the women’s softball team. She was given the game ball by the empire because her pitch was near perfect high drop on home base majority of the time.

At their last base, Randolph AFB, she led the family to attend Resurrection Baptist Church. She became a highly active and respected member in the choir, evangelism, and several ministries—youth, couples, women, and prayer ministry. She partnered with her husband to teach and pray with the youth and prayer warriors. She later retired from Randolph Air Force Base Commissary to become a full-time grandmother. She said that God called her to devote her time and energy to being present with her grandchildren teaching them God’s word through song and prayer.

Shirley was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, brothers: James H. Evans, Al Evans Jr, Jesse Evans, JC Evans, Bob Evans, and sisters: Dassey Mae Evans (McMillan), Rosie Lee Evans, Lillie B. Evans (McIntosh), Dorothy Mae Evans, and Anna Mae Evans. She leaves her 3 adult children: Sharon (Thomas) White in Upper Darby, PA; Roketa (Levon) Tanner in Arlington, TX; Joseph (Tara) Mitchner, Jr. in Tampa, FL. She was a devoted grandmother to her 10 grandchildren: Takeena A. White, Tashea A. White, Thomas Joseph White, Tania Sierra White, Janiece Taliyah Mitchner, Jasmyn Tatiana Mitchner, Angeliyah Mariah Tanner, Eliana Nevaeh Tanner, Joseph Trinidad Mitchner, Levon Joseph Tanner. Sisters: Ruthie Mae Evans from Drew, MS, Sarah Lee Evans from Colombus, OH; and brother Willie D. Evans from Memphis, TN and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.