Junell Calvert

Junell Calvert was born on March 30, 1935 to Joseph Seafus and Rosie Lee Frye-Smith in Haywood County located in Brownsville, Tennessee. She was the 7th child of 11 children in her family. Junell attended Taylor Chapel, Hopewell Elementary School, and Cawer High School before moving to Indianapolis, IN in her late teenage years.

Junell was a devoted Christian who dedicated her life to Christ. In 1971, Junell married Thomas Lee Calvert. Her husband was the founder and pastor of Second Saint James Missionary Baptist church where she took on the honored title of First Lady from 1987 – 2011. During this time, she was also an employee of 10 years with Kiwanis International before retiring from the company in 1998. After retiring, she eventually opened a daycare in her home many years later where she would provide care for her grandkids.

Junell was very caring and loving to all of those around her. She was a spiritual woman who was known for her devoted character and compassionate personality. Junell loved her family and she loved the Lord. She instilled core and Christian values in her children and grandchildren both at home and by raising them up in the church starting at an early age. She raised 3 generations of children.  Junell enjoyed spending time with her family and was known for cooking big dinners and bringing the family together to celebrate the holidays. She was the glue that held her family together through it all.

On, Saturday, February 12, 2022, Junell Calvert was called home to be with the Lord. She passed peacefully in her home at the age of 86 years old. She will be greatly missed and forever and always remembered as a great wife, loving mother, caring grandmother, and a dedicated First Lady. Junell was preceded in death by her mother and father, her late husband (Reverend Thomas Lee Calvert), five sisters (Pearline Raynor, Mary Sue Pearson, Geraldine Smith, Maxine Ingram, and Jenny Mae Reed), four brothers (Leroy, Joe Willie, Henry, and Charley Smith), two daughters (Barbara Tyus and Shirley Tyus), her youngest son (Tommy David Calvert), her grandson (Keyuan Reynolds), and two great-granddaughters (Tiera Anya Tyus and Keyona Murphy).

Junell leaves to cherish her memory to her youngest sister, Mable Pettigrew; her daughters, Fannie Tyus and Kathy Calvert; her sons, James Tyus and Bobby Joe Tyus; a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives, extended family and friends.