FRANKLIN, IN.
It was Monday, April 8th, 2024, when Jonelle W. Frazier bowed out of her earthly existence to explore the heavens resulting in a 3-minute total eclipse of the sun. As the daughter of Herbert and Mabel White (Brownsburg) and sister to James White (Vienna, VA/Tarpon Springs, FL), she came from a long line of hard workers. She began her working life at the age of 14 by opening the local Brownsburg diner before school each morning. She saved all her nickel and dime tips to put herself through nursing school at IU Bloomington. She later returned to IUPUI to earn her RNs license and obtain a master’s in education. She used these combined skills in her 40+ years at Central Nine Vocational School teaching Health Occupations to high school students by day and adults by night. She strove to bring out the best in each student. Many of those students, now medical professionals, paid visits to her at Johnson Memorial in her last few weeks bringing it all full circle. Her mission was complete.
In the 1970’s she blazed a trail by demanding equal pay to the male teachers with her equivalent level of education. At this same time, she was the only person licensed in the state of Indiana to run an in-home kidney dialysis machine. This was one of many simultaneous jobs that she held as the sole breadwinner to pay the mortgage and keep food on the table for herself and her young son. As a single woman, she obtained her own revolving credit during a time when a husband/man’s signature was required. She did it on her own terms.
Singing was one of her joys. In the 1960’s she was part of a women’s quintet called the Bel Cantos. She also sang with the Voices and was a many decades long member of the Tabernacle Christian Church choir in Franklin, IN. She played clarinet, ukulele, and relished gambling at the casinos. As an avid IU basketball and Colt’s fan, she would pull her chair up close to the TV to overcome her waning eyesight. She often startled her pets (and anyone within earshot) with spontaneous whoops and hollers as her team scored.
Jonelle W. Frazier was ahead of her time, and her legacy of helping others will continue to inspire us all in perpetuity. She is survived by her son Brad Frazier of San Francisco.CA.
An informal open house/celebration of her life will be held on Saturday April 27th,, 2024 from 2-5pm at the Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center, 300 South U.S. 31 (Morton Street) in Franklin, IN. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Brown County Humane Society, 128 State Road 135 South, Nashville, IN 47448 or at www.bchuamne.org to help a four-legged friend, 812/988-7362. Tell them Jonelle sent you.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com. Information 317-738-0202.
