Willa Mae Jones was born the daughter of James Manes and Sarah Wilburn Manes on January 25, 1931 in Snowball, Arkansas and departed this life on May 11, 2012 at her home in Nixa, Missouri at the age of 81 years.
She was united in marriage June 10, 1972 in Walnut Shade, Missouri to Noel J. Jones, who preceded her in death on October 6, 2011 after 40 years of marriage.
She is survived by five children, Kathye Bowers of Crane, Missouri, Rick Stepp of Nixa, Missouri, Sarah Junkerstorf Ashton of Arlington, Viriginia, Lloyd Jones of Golden, Missouri and Deborah Jones-Stovall and husband, Robert of Jackson, Tennessee; ten grandchildren, Garold Richards and wife, Tonya, Rhonda Richards, Angela Venuto, James Stepp, Sascha Coe, Jason Stepp, Daniel Jones, Madeline Jones and Chance and Skylar Bowers; seven great-grandchildren, Jeffrey Richards, Rebekah Bowers, Marissa Richards, Joshua Richards, Lane Richards, Joseph Richards and Jaydon Stepp; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Sarah Manes; her husband, Noel Jones; two brothers, C. F. Manes and J.W. Manes; two sisters, Inez Manes Siegler and Nina Manes Joplin; one son-in-law, Arlen Kennedy and five nephews and two nieces.
Willa was a faithful member of the New Testament Church of Jesus Christ in Winona, Missouri. Her profession was working as a medical transcriptionists and a civil servant for the United States Army. She devoted her life to the service of the Lord through her musical ministry and spreading the “Good News” of the gospel of Christ. She was one of Jesus’ best salesman and blessed with the God given talent to make a piano come alive.
She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Funeral services for WILLA MAE JONES, age 81 of Nixa, Missouri, formerly of Alton and the West Plains area, will be Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 2:00 PM in the Carter Funeral Home Chapel at Thayer. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 12:00pm, till time of service. Burial will be in the Cotton Creek Cemetery.