Mary Josephine Jones

On Friday, April 24, 2020, our Heavenly Father called his child, Mary Josephine (Baker) Jones, home.  She was a devoted wife, cherished mother, adored grandmother, beloved sister, aunt, and friend to many.

Mary Jo entered this world on February 7, 1933, in Pleasant Hill, MO.  She was the seventh of nine children born to the loving union of William R. Baker, Sr. and Neosha F. (Bibbs) Baker.  She was raised in the Catholic faith.  She was preceded in death by both parents; her husband, Leroy Jones, Sr.; a daughter, Jan Jones; five brothers, two sisters, and two granddaughters.

Mary Jo accepted Christ early in life. She held a deep love and strong devotion for her faith.  She was a loyal and active member of St. Louis Catholic Church.  Her formative years of education were in Pleasant Hill, MO and Clinton, MO. Her family later relocated to Kansas City, MO.  She took great pride in being one of the first African-American students that attended Cardinal Glennon Catholic High School in Kansas City, MO, where she excelled academically.  Mary Jo married the love of her life, Leroy Sylvester Jones, Sr. in 1952.  To this union nine children were born.  Together they raised their family in the church instilling their Christian values.  They made many sacrifices to put all their children through parochial schools.  They celebrated 55 years of marriage prior to Leroy’s passing, an agape love.

Mary Jo started her work career with the Kansas City Life Insurance Company.  She also worked at the United States Postal Service for several years.  Eventually, she established her work career with the Internal Revenue Service, retiring after more than 25 years of service.

As a child she loved to play baseball and enjoyed baking with her father.  She was a true Baker.  During her teen years she enjoyed participating in the Catholic Youth Council (CYC) where she met her sweetheart, Leroy.  She was a standout athlete in baseball, volleyball, and track in high school.  She was part of a small select group of black scholars to get recruited into college, but she instead chose to start her family.  She was an avid sports fan.  She loved bowling and was one of only a few women with perfect 300 game banners at the old King Louie East bowling alley.  She was a proud member of Toastmaster’s International and a devoted member of the St. Louis Catholic Church Altar Rosary Society along with the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver Hymes-Sandoval Court #265.

Her giving spirit was exhibited early on beginning in the 1960s with her participation in a fundraiser for the March of Dimes. This started a life-long enthusiasm to actively support charitable organizations through donations of time, energy, or monetary contributions. Her legacy will continue with the philanthropic spirit she instilled in her children and grandchildren.  She had a passion for singing in the church choir; loved all genres of music and playing her piano.  She loved watching The Young and the Restless, collecting dolls, and traveling.  She enjoyed mastering 1,000+ piece puzzles and spending her weekends finding treasures at yard sales and thrift stores. Taking long walks with her infamous walking stick was a joy of hers.

Family meant everything to her. She tirelessly cared for and comforted many family members as they fell ill.  She took great pride in celebrating the accomplishments of all her children, grandchildren, and all her greats.  She enjoyed making freshly popped popcorn and loading her kids up in the station wagon for family movie nights at the drive-in theater.  She took great pleasure in spending holidays and long summer weekends at the family cabin at Lake Placid in Stover, MO. She graciously hosted many family celebrations at ‘1843’; holidays, birthday parties, Sunday dinners, cookouts, and card game nights.  Mama Jones or Aunt Jody, as she was affectionately called, welcomed and treated everyone like family.  She never met a stranger because you quickly became family after the initial meeting.  You always left the house with a full belly, a smile on your face, and blanketed in love and blessings. She held a strong devotion and belief in the power of prayer.  She faithfully prayed her rosary daily. She was a devoted and faithful servant, an enthusiastic conduit of sharing the beauty of the virtues of the Holy Spirit.  She was love divine, love incarnate.

She leaves to cherish her memory eight children: Patti Jones of the home; Leroy Jones, Jr. (Kathy) Hickory, NC; G. Kevin Jones (Desiree) of the city; Michael Jones, St. Louis, MO; Kimberly Jones; Monica Johnson (Ortega); Maria Jones; and Mark Jones (Antonia) all of the city; two grandsons she raised as her own, Sean Jones and Keith Jones (Monee) of the city; a granddaughter who lovingly and selflessly cared for her in her final years, Mary-Annette Jones of the home; one sister, Gladys Carter of Houston, TX; one sister-in-law, Lacy Baker of the city; and three brothers-in-law: Harold Henderson (Paula) of Paris, TX; Clennon Jones (Christella) and Dwayne Berry of the city. Mary Jo also leaves behind 39 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and close family friends.  Special family; Beverly and the entire Robinson Family, the Jacksons, the Looneys, the Whites, our 76th Street Family, our St. Louis Church Family, and our St. Augustine Family.