Jessie Mae Bland Obituary
Jessie Mae Bland was born on January 17, 1941, in Somerville, Tennessee to the late Jesse Burrow and Lillie Burrow. On March 28, 1959, she claimed William Atkin Bland Sr as her husband and promised to dedicate her life as a loving wife and mother. To this union, nine beautiful children were born, and she kept her promise even after his death.
Jessie Mae Bland was educated in the Tennessee school system and she served as a midwife. She was a very soft-spoken and kindhearted loving daughter, wife, mother, sister, and friend. She moved to Gary, Indiana in 1966 where she continued to raise her children, cared for her grandchildren and neighborhood children. When her father became ill she opened her home and heart to provide the care he needed. She had a passion for plants, flowers, aquariums, and she loved to dance.
Mrs. Bland is preceded in death by her husband William Atkin Bland Sr; daughters: Evelyn Yevete Bland, Angela Faye Arnold, and Sherry Denise Bland; Grandsons: Terry Lee Hudson Jr. and Jermaine Lamar Jones Sr; granddaughter: Alehsia Ramone Hudson; father Jesse Burrow, mother Lillie Burrow; two brothers: Marvin Burrow, Claudale Burrow; three sisters: Versus Smith, Katherine Tatum, and Shirley Scott.
She is survived by her four daughters: Joy Bland-Hudson (Terry) of Indiana, Joyce Bland-French (Roderick) of Florida, Carrie Bland of Indiana, and Emma Bland of Virginia; two sons: William Bland Jr (Jennese) of Indiana, and Anthony Bland of Indiana; grandchildren: LaTonya Hudson, Cassandra Hudson, Tifiane Leitner, Jason French, William Bland III (Rina), Kevin Bland Sr (Melissa), Shantia Young, LaMeka Bland-Litle, Byron Arnold III, Romancia Arnold, Herbert Hightower, Michael Hightower, Cory Bland, Shantel Bland, Ernestine Jones, Arthur Jones Jr, J’Wan Jones, Demetrius Montgomery, Anthony Johnson, Amya Bland, and Isiah Johnson; great grandchildren: Champaign Britton, James Britton III, Terry Britton, Janae Britton, Naseem Leitner, Jasir Leitner, Jayden French, Jaxon Hill, Briana Himeka Bland, William Atkin Bland IV, Lawrence Ramirez, Lanete Hernandez, Julian Hernandez, Kevin Bland Jr, Quintin Bland, Diamond Brown, Cashmere Brown, Joshua Litle, Angeleah Little, Kingston Little, Shaquan Little, Antur Little, Anturnet Little, Jayden Arnold, Byron Arnold II, Bryan Arnold, Dalton Arnold, Khloe Arnold, Kylie Arnold, Uriel Arnold, Lyric Arnold, Davye’ Shepard, De’Javon Coleman, Shaniya Hightower, Ray'Meon Montgomery, Ray'Shawna Montgomery, Jahmir Barber, Erin Barber, A'Laya Bland, Aiden Bland, Nehemiah Jones, Amiah Zaragoza, Jermaine Jones Jr, Andrea Jones, Jayson Jones, Ja’ceon Jordan, and Jayden Johnson; great-great-grandchildren: Serenity Britton, James Britton IV, Mylan Jones, Ja’Layah Britton, Trinity Britton, and Kassidy Smith.
