IN MEMORIAM

—Joyce Jones—
1936-2013

Many of you know Val Jones, the spiky blonde dancer with the positive charisma and a smile for everyone. Fewer of you knew her mother – Joyce, although she visited our little corner of Mexico many times. Those that did have the privilege of meeting Joyce found her a lady of infinite Southern charm and warmth.

A teacher of English and Drama for thirty years in Georgia, Joyce managed to balance a career with raising two rambunctious daughters. Joyce and her husband Jimmy, lived in a beautiful home in the middle of “Jones Gardens” as the plantation became known, with Joyce painting, crocheting and creating award-winning stained glass windows, Tiffany lamps and sconces. She loved Mexico and especially the lake-side area, and would go to every performance Val was in and loved the art and culture of Mexico.

Joyce enjoyed an active and full social life, which included the Red-Hat Society, the Garden Club, the Book Club, the Peach Lady Auxiliary, the American Camellia Society, Stained Glass Classes, volunteering for the Red Cross, Superintendant of Textiles for the Georgia National Fair and she still found time to visit and bring Jones Gardens’ flowers to people in Nursing Homes and Hospitals.

In November of 2013, despite having quit smoking in 2001, Joyce was found to have a tumor in the pleura of her lung. The doctors said it was aggressive, but that it could be treated. Unfortunately after just three weeks and her first chemo-therapy session, Joyce suddenly, shockingly, died in bed beside Val.

(Submitted by John Ward)