Marian Jane Jones

Marian Jane Jones, 1927- 2020

Marian Jane Jones, 93 years young, met her Lord on December 14, 2020. After a lifetime of overall excellent health, Marian entered the hospital on December 8th, tested positive for Covid-19, and passed away exactly a week later. Her lifes song was filled with grace notes of faith, family, and friends.
Inheriting her fathers musical talent, Marian began playing the piano as a child; was voted Most Musical in high school; majored in music education at MacMurray College; taught piano lessons so that she could be a stay-at-home mom, teaching all 3 of her children, as well as many in the neighborhood and the local Kettering, Ohio, area; was the long-time manager of the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra; and, in recent years, played the piano at her retirement communitys Sunday church services. At the time of her passing, she was busily preparing and practicing for a Christmas sing-along for her friends and fellow residents.
Inheriting her mothers social skills, she enjoyed friendships which crossed all age groups, always found good in others, and was excited to share experiences. Upon her 90th birthday, she received many tribute letters which cited her as a role model and inspiration for a well-led life.
Her faith was extremely important to her, having been led to the Lord in 1977. She started and managed a prayer chain, read and studied the Bible daily, managed a missions fund in memory of her late daughter Liz, and supported many missionaries and church organizations.
Marian was devoted to her family. Her husband, her children, and later, her childrens spouses and her two granddaughters, all knew and felt her love. She was a caretaker, a sharer of family lore, an ear for listening or a shoulder to cry on, a willing participant in having fun, and a seeker of lively conversations. It didnt matteras long as she was spending time with her loved ones.
The family hopes to have a summer Celebration of Life in Cincinnati, when it is safe for her friends and family to travel and gather in her memory. Marian was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Wilma Cooper; her husband, Frederick Jones; and her daughter, Elizabeth (Liz) Jones. She is survived by her son Michael (Laura) Jones; her daughter Barbara (Philip) Amato; her granddaughters Henna (Justin) Hannon and Sarah Jones; nephews, nieces, and cousins; and a host of friends from her lives-well-led in Kettering, Ohio; Rogers, Arkansas; and Milford, Ohio. For condolences, photos, life story, and memorials, please visit Marians page on the Evans Funeral Home website at evansfuneralhome.com.
To honor Marian, please take the virus seriously and take all precautions. It is stunning how swiftly the virus does its work, even on the healthy and on those who have taken precautions. She also requested that those who feel drawn to making a contribution in her memory, to give to one of the following funds, set up in memory of her late daughter Liz.

Canvas Church of NWA, 1106 NW 10th Street, Bentonville, AR 72712
(Please write "Liz Jones Memorial Missions Fund" on the Memo line.)
OR
Hope Church, 1700 Moberly Lane, Bentonville, AR 72712
(Please write "Liz Jones Missions Fund" on the Memo line.)



For those of you who knew Marian well, the longer obit below provides a more detailed chronicle of her life.

Marian Jane (Cooper) Jones: A Song of Faith, Family, and Friends
(August 13, 1927 December 14, 2020)

At the airport in 1927 when Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis in Paris, Marian Jane Cooper, in utero, was four months away from making her first appearance in the world. At the time, her parents were living in Paris, France; her father was in the midst of completing his regimen of vocal training, the equivalent of earning a Masters Degree at the time. Marian was a surprise, causing them to remain in Paris for an additional year. At the time, infants under the age of one were not permitted to travel on ships. Perhaps Marians early taste of France provided her with the joie de vivre that she exuded throughout her life.
A year after Marians birth, the new family of three boarded the Isle de France, returning to America, and settling in Omaha, Nebraska. Her father opened a voice studio and her mother taught high school; took care of Marian; and bartered, as the country was in the midst of the Great Depression.
An only child, and, in her words, blessed with a wonderful childhood, Marian had fond memories of annual summer trips to Baby Lake in Minnesota, where her avid fisherman-hunter father taught her how to scale fish and shoot clay pigeons. Years later, she would vacation there with her husband Fred Jones, and her two elder children, Barb and Mike. Her love of rustic vacationing would serve her well when the Jones Family took camping trips every summer in a half-tent half-trailer, experiencing the beauty of Yellowstone Park, the Pacific northwest, and Canada; the excitement of a raft-ride down the Snake River, a rodeo in Montana, and getting lost in Quebec and having to recall her high school French; and the relaxation found on the Carolina beaches. In just-Fred-and-Marian trips, she traveled to Hawaii, and visited her missionary-daughter Liz in Costa Rica. In later years, she enjoyed traveling to Orange Beach, Alabama, for more civilized stays, as well as trips to the Cincinnati area to visit daughter Barb and son-in-law Phil; to the Austin, Texas, area to stay with son Mike, her daughter-in-law Laura, and granddaughters Henna and Sarah; and just a year ago, she flew to Wisconsin, by herself, to visit a dear friend.
Marians talents became evident early in her life. Her Aunt Mary, a dance instructor, taught her how to tap dance, and Marian inherited her fathers musical talents, having a beautiful singing voice and a proficiency for playing the piano. She was voted Best Musician in high school; majored in music education at MacMurray College; and taught private piano lessons in her home so that she could also be a stay-at-home mom. In addition, she was very active as a volunteer-manager with the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, which gave her opportunities to meet and/or interact with Maria Von Trapp, Miles Davis, Jim Henson, and First Lady Pat Nixon. In recent years, she played the piano at Sunday church services at her beloved Pinebrook, the independent living facility in Milford, which had been her home after she returned to Ohio from Arkansas in 2016.
While attending MacMurray College in Illinois, Marian met her husband Fred, newly returned home from WWII, on a blind date. Marian and her friend concocted a signal for each other, in case their respective dates turned out to be, in her terms, lemons. She didnt realize that Fred and his friend also had a similar escape hatch! But no need to make a quick exit. Marian and Fred were married in Chicago on April 2, 1949, sharing a life for 63 years.
Freds jobs, first with Chrysler, and then forever-after with General Motors, took them from Chicago to Detroit to Dayton (Kettering), Ohio; upon retirement, they settled in Rogers, Arkansas, their Minnesota of the South, enjoying life on Beaver Lake in the Ozarks. Children Barb and Mike arrived during the Detroit years; Liz, during the Kettering years; and granddaughters Henna and Sarah, during the Rogers years.
After 30 years in Rogers, Marian decided to return to her old home, Ohio, in 2016, and moved to Pinebrook, about 15 minutes from Barb and Phil. She felt at home from the start, making friends (some, whom she said, were among her best friends ever), and getting involved playing chair-volleyball, going on group trips to various restaurants, getting together with dear friends to watch re-runs of The Lawrence Welk Show, and playing the piano for church services and sing-alongs (she had been organizing and practicing for a Christmas carol sing-along when she fell ill).
She often spoke of how happy she was at Pinebrook, saying, I dont know why I didnt make this move sooner. Marian was also embraced by Barbs friends, joining them for luncheons, musicals, museum visits, and orchestra concerts. Not long before all the pandemic shutdowns, she attended Broadway Across Americas The Lion King, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestras annual Christmas concert at Music Hall. Now a Cincinnatian, she loved Graeters and UDF ice cream, goetta, and Conductor John Morris Russell of the Pops.
For Marian, family always came first. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved spending time with daughter Barb, whether out and about in Cincinnati (where, much to her delight, Marian was often told she looked like Betty White, responding with, Ill take it!), or just vegging and talking. She loved son-in-law Phil as if he were her son, and had known him since he was 5 years old, when their families lived next door to each other in Kettering. And she sure loved his chili and his In-N-Out-style burgers, as well as his ability to fix anything.
She loved regaling late daughter Liz with tales of her Omaha childhood, which Liz loved hearing over and overand the two shared many well-into-the-early-morning gabfests, much to Freds chagrin!
And she reveled in being included in son Mikes life, the only child who gave her the gift of grandchildren, and who brought daughter-in-law Laura, whom she loved as a daughter, into her life. Marian so admired Mikes devotion to his family, and always credited him for leading her and Fred to the Lord. She thought the world of her granddaughters, Henna, of whom she was so proud when she earned her college degree; and Sarah, whose musical, artistic, and writing talents delighted Marian.
Perhaps the highlight of recent years involved traveling to Texas in 2019 for the back-yard wedding reception of elder granddaughter Henna. And Marian was thrilled to gain Justin Hannon as her grandson-in-law, whom she had gotten to know during her Texas visits. She was so happy when he and Henna decided to marry.
A caretaker-servant at heart, Marian put others first. She took care of both her mother and her father-in-law in their later years, her daughter Liz through two bouts of cancer, and her husband Fred through his final illness. She visited nursing homes to share songs and music. At Pinebrook, she often helped fellow residents if they needed to have their meals or mail delivered to them.
Marians strong faith shaped and guided her life. She had long been a searcher of meaning in that realm, but did not truly feel enveloped until being led to the Lord in 1977, in large part, through her son Mikes influence and experiences. She was an active member of Fairmont Presbyterian Church and Fairhaven Church in Kettering, Hope Church in Rogers, and attended and participated in services at Pinebrook in Milford.
Along her spiritual path, she immersed herself in Bible Study; started and managed a prayer chain; began every day with Bible reading and devoted a part of each day to Bible study; started and managed missionary funds in honor of her late daughter Liz; and supported missionary-friends and church growth.
Even though she was living a joyous and busy life, filled with friends, family, activities, and good health, she never feared death, and often said she was ready to meet her maker. Of course, those she left behind were not ready for the abrupt loss of this vibrant woman. Her favorite hymns included, How Great Thou Art, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, In the Presence of Jehovah, Malottes The Lords Prayer, and Majesty. Marians favorite Bible verse was Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ (Philippians 4: 6-7).
After a lifetime of overall excellent health, Marian entered the hospital on December 8th, tested positive for Covid-19, and passed away exactly a week later on December 14th. Truly, hers was a life well lived.
Adieu. . . and welcome, home, Marian.
The family hopes to have a summer Celebration of Life in Cincinnati, when it is safe for her friends and family to travel and gather in her memory. Marian was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Wilma Cooper; her husband, Frederick Jones; and her daughter, Elizabeth (Liz) Jones. She is survived by her son Michael (Laura) Jones; her daughter Barbara (Philip) Amato; her granddaughters Henna (Justin) Hannon and Sarah Jones; nephews, nieces, and cousins; and a host of friends from her lives-well-led in Kettering, Ohio; Rogers, Arkansas; and Milford, Ohio. For condolences, photos, life story, and memorials, please visit Marians page, which can be found on the Evans Funeral Home website at evansfuneralhome.com.




Short Clips from Marian's 90th birthday party, and Marian playing the piano for a variety show.






The following is Marian's Life Story, written in her words in 1987, followed by an addendum, written by Marian in 2016. Following that is an update of Marian's recent years written by her daughter Barbara in December of 2020.

This biography is in Marians own words, written in 2014, when she was 87. Except for the final section, her daughter Barb simply typed it, only adding a few items that Marian was too humble to include.
I was at the airport when Charles Lindbergh landed in Paris, France in 1927. I wasnt born until 4 months later, but I was there! My father was a vocal coach, and in those days, you went to Europe to complete your training. My parents had intended to stay only one yearuntil I surprised them! So, they had to stay an extra year, because babies under one year of age were not allowed to travel on ships.
In June of 1928, we departed on the Isle de France (I have a photo of the 3 of us on the ship). Even though both of my parents were Iowans, we headed for Omaha, Nebraska, where my father would set up a voice studio. I have very early memories, even of my father carrying me. One memory is of my parents and me walking down a long hall in an apartment building, knocking on a door, and being greeted by old friends who had a little boy who was sitting in a highchair. Many years later, in high school, I double-dated with him, as my boyfriend was his best friend!
The Depression was not the best time to open a voice studio. My mother, having been raised on a farm, was very frugal, knowing to use the barter method until my father got paid . . . baskets of home-grown food, fresh eggs, home-made rolls, and chickens (feathers and all).
I remember when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Omaha (in an open convertible), and we all went downtown to see him. Those were the days of the famous Golden Spike Days, a celebration of the premiere of Cecil B. DeMilles film Union Pacific, commemorating the joining of the Union Pacific (Omaha) and Central Pacific (Sacramento) railroads, and the driving in of the golden spike at Promontory Point, Utah.
My father was also an actor, performing in a play with Henry Fonda at the Community Playhouse (I have a photo of the cast as proof!). My dads sister, my Aunt Mary, was the dance instructor in Omaha (remember, this was in the 30s when Omaha was not that large a city). She taught me how to tap dance. Her first accompanist was Marlon Brandos mother.
I was an only child, blessed with a wonderful childhood. Because my father had his own business, he closed his studio for two months every summer, and every year, we vacationed at the same camp on Baby Lake in northern Minnesota. My father was both an avid fisherman and hunter. Thanks to my dad, I learned how to scale fish and shoot clay pigeons. In later years, my husband and I vacationed at the same camp with our children.
At Central High School, I was involved in music activities and was voted, Best Musician and Homecoming Princess. I was friends with Warren Buffetts sister Susie!
During my growing-up years, my mother was a high school teacher. In the winter of 1943, my father died suddenly of a heart attack while shoveling snow. It so happened that it was the first year my mother had decided to be a stay-at-home housewife, so now, she had to go back to work. At that time, County Hospital was advertising for a business manager, and she got the job. She remained in that position during my last two years in high school.
That experience whetted her appetite for hospital administration; so, in August of 1945, when I went away to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, she sold our home and moved to Chicago to enter Northwestern University to earn her degree in hospital administration. Her last position was as administrator of City Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Her love of the area is what led my husband and me to eventually retire in northwest Arkansas.
I majored in music education at MacMurray, a womens school at the time. I was elected president of one of the freshman sororities (only because I made a point of remembering and calling everyone by their names!). I was librarian of the choir, and I waitressed in the cafeteria, one time waiting on the visiting Adlai Stevenson II, future Democratic candidate for President, and at the time, Governor of Illinois.
WWII had just ended in August of 1945, so there were no boys to date. Many parents sent care packages to their daughters, so every Saturday night, wed go to the dorm room that had the food! I gained 37 pounds in 3+ months, and my mother was aghast when she saw me at Christmas break! In the summers, I worked at Time/Life, and also represented MacMurray on the College Board.
MacMurray recognized the need for a social life and began making arrangements with a nearby air force base to bring in men for our dances, which turned out to be a bad idea! So, with servicemen returning home to enter college, my school made contact with nearby colleges, and had the men bussed in for our dances. That is how I met my husband, Fred, on a blind date in April of 1946. He had been discharged and had entered Parks Aeronautical College, now a part of St. Louis University.
Since I had met some real lemons on previous dates with men from the air force base, my friend and I set up a signal in case either of us had to enact an excuse to cut short the date! It turned out that Fred and his friend had done the same thing!
I attended summer school that year (my friends and I purposely took early classes so we could suntan in the solarium in the afternoons!), and Fred visited me most weekends. By the end of the summer, I was pinned, considered a pre-engagement at the time. During my junior year, Fred transferred to the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Those were difficult 1 years for us, so he transferred to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 1949 to earn his degree in mechanical engineering. We were married on April 2nd of that year.
No construction took place during the war years, so housing was non-existent for the newlywed GIs returning home from the service (We could not set a wedding date until we had found a place to live). Many old and stately homes were turned into apartments by slapping up drywall to make separate rooms. We finally found our home: a living room with an in-a-door bed that folded up into the wall, and an attached kitchen. We were thrilled, especially at $15 a week . . . until we discovered that we had no sink or running water! Three of us couples shared the one-and-only bathroom where we could get that water!
After Freds graduation, we moved to Detroit, Michigan, where Fred was employed by Vickers, Chrysler, and General Motors Overseas Operations. Until babies began arriving, I worked at Wurlitzer Music Company, as well as R.H. Donnelly. While we were in Detroit, our daughter, Barbara, was born in 1953, and our son, Michael, was born in 1957.
Due to changes in the company, Freds division was later moved to New York City; he was asked to be the liaison between the New York and Dayton, Ohio, offices of Frigidaire. So, we moved from Michigan to Ohio. How blessed we were!
Our daughter, Elizabeth (Liz), was born in Dayton in 1963. While at the hospital having Liz, I recall how eerily quiet the hallways were, as the staff was in shock about the assassination of President Kennedy.
I taught piano in my home for about 20 years so I could be a stay-at-home mom. I became interested in the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and began attending all their rehearsals. It wasnt long before I noticed that the conductor really needed help, as he did it all: auditions, rehearsals, and concert-planning. I soon became the manager of the DPYO, serving for about 8 years.
The DPYO put on an annual Kinder Concert for the children of the city, and one year, I was in charge of the concert. It was a lot of work, but, also, fun, as that year involved the participation of members of the Sesame Street cast. Through various DPYO activities, I met Miles Davis, Maria Von Trapp, Danny Kaye, Jim Henson, and many orchestra conductors. One year, some of us in the organization were sent to the annual Philharmonic Conference in Washington, DC; we toured the White House, where we met and shook hands with First Lady Pat Nixonand this was in the midst of the Watergate scandal!
On one memorable summer vacation, we took Freds father back to his homeland in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. We camped all the way! We actually found his home, went to the door, and lo and behold, he knew the man who owned the house! The owners parents had purchased the house from my father-in-laws parents! We toured the house and were shown the many features that had been imported, including a mantel from England. The house even had a bread-making oven built into the brick wall.
In Nova Scotia, we were in Henry Wadsworth Longfellows territory, having camped at Evangeline Beach on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world; we also saw the red sandstone promontory of Mt. Blomidon (from Longfellows epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha). On the same trip, I had to try to remember my high school French when we got lost in Quebec! Then, returning to the U.S., in Maine, we ate lobster on a long deck that extended out into Penobscot Bay, Maine, and viewed the anchored ship that President Kennedy was on . . . some secret meeting.
We were blessed have both my father-in-law and my mother live with us in their later years, until each passed. Living with us was such a treat for them, but it also left my children with some very special memories.
When Elizabeth (Liz) entered college, Fred and I began looking for places to retire. In these pre-internet days, it was difficult to learn about various areas, so we did our own research. Wed take the Sunday newspapers from the parts of the country we were considering, to get a sense of feel for the culture. Our desire was to find our Minnesota of the South, with lakes, pine trees, and mild winters. As mentioned earlier, Arkansas was on our list, but it wasnt until we visited the area that we discovered Beaver Lake. That was the winner! We found a wonderful, and very patient realtor, as we looked for homes for 4 years. Upon Freds retirement, we contacted our realtor, and shed already found the house that she knew was right for us. It was the best move wed ever made.
Our daughter, Liz, became a missionary with Christ for the City in Costa Rica. One Christmas, we visited her for several weeks, and had the experience of a lifetime . . . and having a pro as a tour guide was such a plus. We covered more ground than most do in a month. Sadly, Liz developed breast cancer and had to come home after 7 years in CR. She became active in working with area pastors and was music director at our church until just a month before passing away in April of 2011.
For 10 years, Fred and I enjoyed making annual trips to Orange Beach, Alabama, until he became ill. We stayed at the same condo every year, which became like a second home. Only 2 weeks after our 2010 trip, he began having health issues. Even after many tests, doctors could not diagnose the problem. Eight months later, he was in Washington Regional Hospital, and within 24 hours, they were able to put a name to his illness: multiple myeloma. He passed away about 2 weeks later in June of 2011, ten weeks after Lizs passing.
Ive had such a blessed life, having a caring and loving husband and provider; a very gifted daughter in Liz; my jack-of-all-trades son, Mike, and precious daughter-in-law, Laura, who have given me 2 very special granddaughters, Henna and Sarah; and Barb, my oldest, who has always been there for me, even staying with me for four months, caring for her sister, Liz, while I cared for Fred. Her husband, Phil, is like a son to me, having known him as my former Kettering next-door-neighbor, since he was 5 years old!
As I write this, I am 87 years young, enjoying excellent heath (no canes, no false teeth, no hearing aids). I still drive; am active in church; and still manage the prayer chain, which I started 25 years ago. I also initiated and manage a memorial fund in honor of Liz.
I give unending praise and thanks for the Lords faithfulness to me all of these years. Hes not only been my Protector and Provider, but also my Director and Comforter.
There is NO place God is not. I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:6-7). ----Marian Cooper Jones, 2014
The following was written by Marian on October 5, 2016, several months after moving from Arkansas to Pinebrook, an independent living facility in Milford (Cincinnati), Ohio.
A Change Ahead: I have been blessed with good health throughout my life, but as I approached my 89th birthday, I began to sense that it would be wise if I moved closer to one of my children. It was a difficult decision because my (only) 2 grandchildren live in Texas, but at the same time, I was drawn to Ohio since I had lived in Kettering (Dayton) for 29 years and still had friends there. I can say that I feel like I have come home.
I sold my Arkansas condo in a matter of days. Barb and Phil came down and we packed items into Phils car and he returned to Ohio. Then, Barb and I oversaw the move, loaded delicate and important items into her car, and we left on May 18th for Ohio. My Pinebrook apartment became available on May 20th, and I moved into a beautiful independent living facility in Milford, just 15 minutes away from Barb and Phil. It was the best decision I ever made, and I now wonder why I waited so long.
There is more to do here than you would ever have time for. Ive met wonderful people from all over the U.S., as well as from England, Scotland, and Puerto Rico. The chef prepares superb mealsso many choices! I find that I am far more active here than I have been in many years. I have found time to get back into music after a very long sabbatical and have discovered a renewed love for spending many hours at the piano. I now play for Pinebrooks Sunday church services and am thinking of planning a Christmas sing-along for the residents. I also enjoy playing chair-volleyball.
I feel, especially at this time in my life, that I am so fortunate, and extremely blessed, to have found a place such as Pinebrook to spend my final days. Truly, we residents feel like family and I have made so many good friends. God is SO good! Thank you. ---Marian Jones, 10/05/2016
The following was written on December 20, 2020, by Marians daughter Barb.
When Mom moved to Ohio, she really wanted to experience live theater, music, and culture. Together, we enjoyed the Downton Abbey costume exhibit at the Taft Museum, followed by an English tea; a watercolor exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum; many Broadway Across America shows, most recently, The Lion King; musicals at Anderson HS (where I used to teach), including Mamma Mia! and Beauty and the Beast; several Cincinnati Pops Concerts, including both the winter holiday and summer Green Acres shows; and a Gershwin concert with the Cincinnati Symphony.
She loved shopping and lunching in Old Milford. Wed scour the antique shops and boutiques, buy too much freshly made candy (pecan pralines!) at her favorite candy shop, Tickled Sweet; and would always end up at the Parlor, an ice cream shop, for a cone or sundae. She tasted Mays Café, 20 Brix, and Chez Renee (where she brought her birth certificate so the chef/owner could see it!).
On the Sundays when she didnt play the piano at Pinebrook church services, we would visit the Eastgate Crossroads, a mega-church with music that Mom really enjoyed.
We loved having her stay for sleep-overs over Thanksgiving and Christmas, where she enjoyed being a cat-grandma, and she participated in our Christmas Day tradition of never getting out of our PJs, eating Phils famous holiday chili, and watching A Christmas Story. She became friends with my teaching friends, and wed enjoy lunches out and lunches in.
Mom loved following Englands royal family (back in 2011, when I was in Arkansas, we got up early to watch the wedding of Kate and William). When Meghan and Harry were married in 2018, she joined my friends and me for a royal morning of TV viewing (DVRd this time!), wearing tiaras, drinking tea, and dining on scones and strawberries-and-cream.
On her 90th birthday, we had a small gathering of mutual Cincinnati and Kettering friends, giving her a French-themed celebration (because of her birthplace), enjoying macarons and petits fours. We had a second party the next week, this time inviting Phils family from Kettering (having been next-door neighbors, Mom knew Phils parents and sibs).
Her 92st birthday was also memorable, as her elder granddaughter Henna, and her new husband Justin, who were in town, joined us at a tea-room to celebrate her big day.
At Pinebrook, she enjoyed socializing with her many friends; meeting up to watch The Lawrence Welk Show re-runs on Saturday nights; playing the piano for church services, Veterans Day programs, and sing-alongs; and joining fellow residents on outside trips to various restaurants and events.
With 2020, life changed for us all. We were able to visit Mom for outside visits at Pinebrook--masked, distanced, and temperatured (so Mom had an outdoor 93rd birthday!). Thank goodness for a warm spring; a not-too-hot summer; and a long, warmer-than-usual autumn. We always had beautiful days for our visits, and we never got rained out. Once the weather started to get colder, we were allowed to have inside visits with the same safety precautions, but could only meet in the lobby for a limited time.
Mom was never bored during the pandemic, always complaining that she never had enough time to complete all that she wanted to do. She studied her Bible, practiced the piano, read, did jigsaw puzzles, and surfed the net. Just before she passed, she was making plans for Pinebrooks Christmas sing-along, something she was looking forward to. When she first entered the hospital, she had all kinds of instructions for me to pass along to the friend with whom she was working on this, so that she could be preparing until Mom got out of the hospital. In fact, the last message that nurse gave to me from her was to tell the friend that perhaps they should cancel the sing-along! She loved her Pinebrook community and knew how much they would enjoy this eventand she loved providing the music.
After feeling ill, thinking it was just her annual December flu, Mom went to the hospital on the morning of December 8th, tested positive for Covid-19, and passed away a week later on the morning of December 14th. Mom was so vibrant, healthy, active, and young, making it hard to believe that anything could take her this quickly. She will be remembered as a strong, compassionate, talented, people-loving woman who loved her Lord, her family, her friends, and her life, often speaking of how blessed she had beenand I know we feel blessed to have had her in our lives, as well.
Truly, hers was a life well lived. ---Barbara Jones Amato, 12/20/2020