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Submitted: 3/7/24 • Approved: 3/8/24 • Last Updated: 3/11/24 • R1522918-G1522918-S3
December 26, 1927 - March 23, 2022
Elsie Ruth Jones, 94, of Mabelvale, Arkansas passed away surrounded by her family on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. She was born December 26, 1927 in Commerce, Texas to Marvin Watterson and Iva Venus Watterson.
Elsie married her late husband of 71 years, Dallas Hershel Jones on January 19, 1946. They wed as young teenagers in Prescott. Between the two of them they may have had $5.00, a bicycle for transportation, but the two of them set out to build a life together. She helped Dallas build their first home and as their family grew, they built a bigger home, with the final family home in Mabelvale, Arkansas.
Her lifetime career was her children. However, if her family needed additional support, then she would work outside of the home for a brief time. Some of the places she worked were Cranks Drug Store, Pfeifer-Blass Department Store, McSpadden Rexall Drug Store, and Worthen Bank.
From the time her children were growing up and grandkids growing up, she woke up each morning to make breakfast. Her homemade biscuits and she ensured Dallas always had his big breakfast, before he left for work. Elsie always made sure his clothes were ironed each day, his shirts were always starched. And when Dallas got home, supper was ready. Together, they worked very hard and lived a very modest lifestyle. Her entire life was centered around her children and family.
Most of the time you would see her, she had her Tupperware glass of ice water, with a tissue wrapped around it. And without fail in the evening she had her Merle Norman Cleansing Cream routine. Her skin was always so beautiful and soft. When she told stories, her hands were always telling the story with her too. Elsie loved having bunken parties with her girls and that tradition carried on with her granddaughters. She loved to go to craft fairs especially War Eagle. Elsie enjoyed her Soap Opera days and without fail was ready with pen and paper at noon for ''Dialing for Dollars.'' She even trained her grandkids what to do for ''Dialing for Dollars,'' if the phone rang, this is what you read to them, in case she wasn't there. Another one of her shows was the Golden Girls, however, she was a golden girl all in herself.
Dallas and her had a garden every year and each year it seemed to grow even more. So many memories were made with her snapping beans, shucking corn, while enjoying the fruits of their labor. She loved her flowers - hydrangeas, azaleas, red geraniums, and roses.
In later years, when grandkids were born, she would help with each one. She loved her grandbabies. She helped care for them, so her kids could work, when needed. When a grandchild was sick, she would help care for them. Elsie encouraged her children to get an education. She had various little phrases she would use, one of the common ones was, ''Lordy, Lordy.'' Once Dallas retired the two of them would go hunting together and go to fish camp. They were both able to enjoy a lot of retirement years together.
Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas Hershel Jones; her parents, Marvin and Iva Watterson, son, Tommy Wayne Jones; her sister, Martha Jean Johnson; brother, William Thomas Dillinger. She is survived by her sister, Katie Ellen Pittman, her daughters, Sandy Jean Branch, Shirley Anne McReynolds, and Debbie Rose Giffin (Todd); grandchildren, Carol Roseann Davidson (Robbin), Terri Rene Rice (Johnny), Tommy Wayne Jones, II (Christa), Brian C. Branch (Kathy), Ashley Brooke McReynolds (Kimalee) Oaklenn Charles and Franklin Howard Marple, Nick James McReynolds, Braden Reese McReynolds, Jacob Michael Giffin, Colton Michael Giffin (Haley), and Katelyn Rose Giffin Strange (Edwin); 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous great-great-children.
Her family wants to express immense gratitude to everyone who cared for her during her stay at Mt. Carmel in Benton.
Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home Chapel, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211, (501) 224-8300. Burial will follow at 1:00 p.m., at DeAnn Cemetery in Prescott, Arkansas. Visitation is 5-7 p.m., Monday, March 28, 2022 at the funeral home.
Contributed on 3/7/24 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1522918