It is with much sadness we announce the death of Kristin Marie Jonakin. Kristin was born in Memphis to parents Johnny M. Jonakin and Tami F. Darby Jonakin on October 9, 1984 and passed into her heavenly Father's arms on April 22, 2021. Kristin lived her life with a passion for her children, Baylee Jonakin, age 15, Braydon Jonakin, age 12, and Jaydon Jonakin, age 9. She is also survived by her brother, Justin Jonakin, of Bartlett, TN, another brother, Jody Jonakin, of Murfreesboro, TN, and a sister, Amber Jonakin, also of Bartlett, TN.

Kristin lived life for her family. She especially enjoyed special family vacations. She loved trips to the Smoky Mountains and times on the Florida beaches, where she was deathly afraid of sharks, but loved the sandy beaches, basking in the sun, and building sandcastles or searching for sea creatures with her children.

Kristin was a member of Bartlett Hills Baptist Church (formerly Raleigh Baptist) where, as a youth, she played multiple sports, and later as a teen, was active in the youth ministry and attended many summer camps. Always an outgoing person, she especially loved being a cheerleader for the Shelby youth sports programs. She later attended Bartlett High School and, although she did not graduate, she later completed her GED. She enrolled in cosmetology school for one year, while working in a tanning salon, and later in her family's florist business. When she gave birth to her daughter Baylee everything else took a backseat. For the next years, she would devote much of her time to her children.

Kristin had a very strong faith. She was first and foremost a child of God. She was passionate about spreading God's word and showing the world that his love was for everyone. Her faith carried her through many difficult times. In 2014, which driving to visit a friend, she suffered a seizure and crashed into a brick wall at a high speed. She suffered several life threatening injuries and was unable to walk for almost a year. Even in these times she leaned hard on faith and looked to her Heavenly Father for comfort. God graciously gave her another 7 years to spend with her family and children.

After her faith, Kristin's heart belonged to her children. Kristin loved when they would come into her room to spend time with her. When they would go into her room they would listen to music or just spend time talking. It did not matter what time of day it was; she would always invite them in to hang out. She would always watch the music videos that her children would play from social media. Even if the music was not her taste she would listen with excitement seeing how different and wonderful her three kids were. Her oldest child, Baylee Jonakin, would always go into the bedroom to show her things that the younger girls are interested in. Kristin would sit and enjoy her daughter's enthusiasm even if she couldn't relate to the new trends of children today.

You cannot think of Kristin without recognizing her great passion for music and singing. She loved to sing and sing loud. She aspired of being a music star and traveling with a band. Her goal was to move to Nashville with her brother and pursue a singing career. She always dared to dream big. She was the star of any room she was in. She brought so much laughter and happiness into this world and into peoples' lives. She had a way of lifting the spirits of people who needed it the most.

She will always be with us in our hearts and someday, in the future, she will be in our arms again.

~ I cried when you passed away, I still cry today. ~

~ Although I loved you dearly, I couldn't make you stay. ~

~ A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands at rest. ~

~ God broke my heart to prove to me he only takes the best. ~