Betty T. Jones passed from this life on July 10, 2011. Born Betty Irene Thomas on January 23, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia, she was the fifth of ten children of Charles Mitchell Thomas, Sr. and Jennie Pearl Meek. A loving, cheerful and gracious lady, she was a lifelong Baptist who loved the Lord.
Betty T. Jones
Betty grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She married Van Buren Jones of Waco, Texas on December 21, 1948. They relocated to Midland, Texas in the early 1950’s before eventually moving to Houston in 1956. In Houston, they regularly attended White Oak Baptist Church, where Betty often taught Sunday School. They were avid members of the White Oak “42 Club” and made lots of dear friends during these years. Betty worked as an executive secretary for many years, and opened her own travel agency, Woodlands Executive Travel, after moving to The Woodlands in 1975. She later sold the agency but continued to work as a travel agent until retirement, specializing in cruises and trips for seniors to Branson.
In 1999 Betty relocated to Nacogdoches, Texas to be near her son Clifton and her grandchildren, where she lived in Northway Landing Apartments. In late 2008 she was diagnosed with dementia and had to move into assisted living at The Arbor; in 2009 she was transferred to The Rock Haven Nursing Home, where she lived until her death. She was much loved by the caring folks of Rock Haven, who took good care of her the entire time she was there.
Betty loved traveling and as a travel agent she was able to travel to many exotic places around the world. She rode the Orient Express across Europe, she walked on the Great Wall of China, and she saw many other places in between. Perhaps her favorite destination was Israel, where she was able to visit the Holy Land.
She had many dear friends over the years, and could astonish her children with her amazing ability to remember the names and details of neighbors and church friends from many years ago. She loved plants and gardening, playing 42 and “chickenfoot” with dominoes, “marbles”, and other games. She often reached out to others who were in need or hurting, displaying genuine Christian charity and love to those with whom she came in contact.
Betty was preceded in death by Van, her father and mother, her daughter Carol Jones, her brothers Charles M. (“Bubba”) Thomas, Jr. and Paul E. (“Pete”) Thomas, and her sisters Frances T. (“Louise”) Brown, Annie Pauline T. (“Polly”) Horton, and Norma T. Mayeske. Survivors include her brother Max W. Thomas and sister-in-law Remona of Dallas, Georgia; brother Blake A. Thomas and sister-in-law Wanda of Smyrna, Georgia; brother Frank S. Thomas of Atlanta, Georgia, and sister Melba T. McClain of Avondale Estates, Georgia.
She is also survived by her son Greg Jones and daughter-in-law Juli of Smithville, Texas; son Travis Jones of Houston, Texas; son Clifton Jones and daughter-in-law Rhonda of Nacogdoches, Texas; and her daughter Janice Jones of Portland, Oregon. She also leaves behind ten grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will take place from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, and services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 14, all at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home in Nacogdoches, Texas. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park in Nacogdoches.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rock Haven Nursing Home, 401 S.E. Stallings Drive, Nacogdoches, TX 75964-7204.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors, located at 5400 North St. in Nacogdoches, Texas. Online obituary and guestbook posted at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com.
