Janie Lee Jones, 105, of Michigan City, Indiana, transitioned from earth to glory to be with the Lord on Monday evening, May 11, 2020 at her home, surrounded by her loving family.
Janie was born on July 17, 1914 in Foxwood, Tennessee. She later moved to Waverly, Arkansas, where she met and married the love of her life, Jessie Jones. They subsequently moved to Michigan City, IN in 1953 and she remained here until her passing.
She was married for over 60 years to Jessie Jones, until his death in 1994.
When living in the south, Janie worked long, hard days in the fields, picking cotton. After moving to Michigan City, she held many jobs over the years, including Max and Heinies, domestic work, Beatty Hospital, Alex’s Truck Stop in New Buffalo, and finally retiring from the Michigan City Police Department.
One of Janie’s most important jobs in the world to her was helping to raise 4 generations of Jones children. She is the mother of one daughter, grandmother of three, great grandmother of 8 and great-great grandmother of 18. Most of them experienced being rocked to sleep in the “Cadillac Lap”that her late son-in-law loved to refer to her lap.
Her grandchildren, and all of her friends remember and loved her famous 6 layers chocolate and caramel cakes. All someone had to do was ask, and there was a cake ready for them the next morning. Janie loved the Lord and accepted Him as her Savior at a young age. For the past 30 years, she had been a member of Life Temple Church of God in Christ. Prior to that, she was a member of Community Church of Deliverance and Rock of Ages Baptist Church.
When people asked her the secret to her living over a hundred years, she had the same two answers every time. She was quick to tell you, several times in one conversation, “I thank the Lord and count my blessings”. And then, she loved to end each conversation with “Do the best you can; after that, you can’t do no more”.
Janie was fortunate to have had “two funeral services” prior to her death. At her 100th and 105th birthdays, over a hundred family members and friends celebrated with her and told her their love for her, their appreciation for her love and kindness to them and remininsced with fond memories of her over the years. She truly received her flowers while she lived.
Janie is survived by her loving daughter, Willa Mae Brown, Glenwood, IL; grandchildren, John (Gerry) Jones and Benita Jones, Michigan City, IN; Lloyd Jones, Chicago, IL; great grandchildren, Letrisha Falls, Angela Carwell, Marcus Jones and Jarrod (Dana) Jones, all of Michigan City, IN; Jonathan (Jade) Jones, South Bend, IN; Jeremy Jones, Miami, FL; Kenneth Jones, Evansville, IN; Brian Richmond, Memphis, TN., and 18 great-great grandchildren, with two more expected in September.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jessie Jones; an infant son, Bobby Jones; brothers, Arthur Coleman, Fred Coleman and Cal Cooper Jones; and son-in-law, William Brown.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 15, 2020 from 9:30am-11:30am at Coleman & Hicks Funeral Chapel, 101 S. KarwickRoad, Michigan City, IN. A private funeral service will be held for immediate family.
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