On November 1, 2011, Emma Elizabeth (Stewart) Jones, fondly known as “Liz”, passed away in her home surrounded in loving prayer by her family. She was an innovator, an adventurer, and mostly especially a kind and loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Liz was born on October 8, 1922, in rural Fulton, Kansas, to Edgar Earl Stewart and Minnie Mae (Snyder) Stewart. When not mushroom hunting, or riding their mule, she attended elementary school in rural Fulton, Kansas, high school in Ft. Scott, Kansas, and received an associates degree from Ft. Scott Junior College. After college she studied in Kansas City and received her certification in radio telegraphy.

She was hired by Eastern Airlines to work in their Charleston, South Carolina control tower doing ground-to-air radio telegraphy in their sector — a job not normally staffed by a woman. Liz was then recruited by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (currently the Federal Aeronautics Administration) where she worked in Kansas City, was posted at several airports, and then, finally, at the Gould Peterson Airport in Tarkio, Missouri.

Always an adventurer, Liz traded Bob Graff bookkeeping help for flying lessons. While spotting planes at the Tarkio airport, she took a tumble off of a pile of rock and fell into the arms of a handsome young man who was also taking flying lessons — he enjoyed saying she “fell for him.” He was just back from serving in the Navy in World War II and was partnering with his father on their farm. After repeated proposals, she finally agreed to become Mrs. F. John Jones, Jr. and became a farmer’s wife. (She always was a bit proud that she got her pilot’s license before Johnny!)

She raised three girls, Patti, Marcia and Beverly, and was involved in all their activities – dance and music lessons, Girl Scouts and 4-H. She was also active in her community with Garden Club, Bridge Club, AGC, United Methodist Women, Order of the Easter Star, and P.E.O. — Chapter FF. In every organization, she not only participated, but held offices. Liz was on the Midland Empire Girl Scout Regional Council, Grand Matron and District Deputy for Eastern Star, President of United Methodist Women, and President of P.E.O. — Chapter FF.

Liz was a firm believer in making her community better. She initiated the first county-wide blood drive and served as it’s chair for many years. She was an election judge for the Republican Party and on the Development Council for Community Hospital — Fairfax. Liz spent many hours volunteering for Community Hospital — Fairfax, from helping with health screenings and working on the Communitee Golf Benefit to carefully pressing, starching, and folding over 600 linen napkins every year for the Celebrity Waiters Dinner. Liz and Johnny were strong advocates of a vital and continuing hospital for Atchison County substantially donating to the hospital’s Capital Campaign.

From her early childhood, Liz knew the importance of a good education. She started 1st grade at the age of 4, and graduated from high school and started college at age 16. She encouraged all of her children and grandchildren to continue their education and seek college degrees. She had a strong affection for and was very proud of Cottey College — a private 4-year women’s college in Nevada, Missouri, owned and funded by P.E.O. — and would provide updates on the “goings on” at Cottey to anyone who would listen.

Her grandchildren remember her as a card shark who loved playing gin rummy, bridge, and pinochle, and cooking special dishes for them. Also: her very “green” thumb which always produced an incredible garden; her homemade peanut brittle & apple butter; her knitting and weaving; her ability to sew anything, anywhere, at any time; her pancakes on Sunday morning; her songs to lift the spirit and make you laugh; and her ability to make you feel special. She unconditionally loved her family and let them know how proud she was of every one of them no matter what. Liz was a kind and generous lady who will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Liz was preceded in death by her husband, F. John Jones, Jr., and a son, John Douglas, as well as her parents, E. Earl Stewart and Minnie Mae Stewart, and a brother, Lloyd E. Stewart.

She is survived by her daughters Patricia Elizabeth Stevens & her husband Joel B. Stevens III, Marcia Elaine Lane & her husband Alonzo E. Lane III, and Beverly Kay Jones & her husband Arthur D. White; grandsons Christopher N. Caprio & his wife Morgan L. Caprio; Alonzo E. Lane IV, and J. Stewart Lane; and special granddaughters: Rachel E. White, Sarah R. Watkins and Lauren Lee.

Funeral Services:
2:00 pm, Sunday, November 6, 2011 at the United Methodist Church, Tarkio.
Interment: Center Grove Cemetery, Westboro, Missouri
Open Visitation will begin 9:00 a.m., Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the United Methodist Church, Tarkio, where the family will receive friends that evening from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.
Memorials: Cottey College, Nevada, Missouri, Center Grove Cemetery, Kendallwood Hospice, St. Joseph, Missouri or Community Hospital-Fairfax, Fairfax, Missouri.
Online obituaries and condolences at www.minterfuneralchapels.com.
Services directed by Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio.