Evelyn Charlotte Jolly Jones

On January 5, 2016, Evelyn Charlotte Jolly Jones passed away at Serenity Park in Kenmore, WA. Her eight birthdays as a centenarian have been grand celebrations. On her 108th birthday, July 11, 2015, this avid sports fan thoroughly enjoyed being a celebrity at the Mariner's game, throwing out the first ball to Felix Hernandez. She loved being surrounded by friends and family that day and felt the thrill of the Mariner's win.

Evelyn was born into the Daniel "Floyd" and Nellie (Campbell) Jolly family on July 11, 1907 near Leahy Junction, close to what is now Mansfield, WA. In 1928 Evelyn married Stanley Jones, a second-generation wheat and cattle rancher in Almira. They loved dancing and enjoyed going out to dances for many years. Evelyn loved her life as wife and mother. As a "tomboy" she hadn't acquired many homemaking skills, but she learned well and was much admired by her family and friends. Stan and Evelyn raised two daughters, Kay and Donna. They enjoyed family leisure time camping and boating, and winters in Hawaii after their retirement. Stan passed away in February 1983. They had celebrated fifty-four wedding anniversaries.

Evelyn demonstrated strength and her love of family, continuing on with her gardening, baking, quilting and shopping trips with her "girls". She loved wintering in Palm Desert for 24 years and hosted many family members and friends. She traveled with her cousin Charlene Tyree and also with her daughters and family to many places including Boston, Washington DC, Nashville, Branson, San Antonio, England, Scotland, Wales (where Stan's family originated), Norway, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Nova Scotia and Churchill, Canada.

During hunting seasons family and friends were always invited to stop by for her wonderful meals. In 2005, Evelyn moved from her home in Almira, WA to Brittany Park, Woodinville, WA, where she enjoyed a simpler but full life until her heart attack in August 2015.

She is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Kay and Les Vea, of Kenmore, WA and Donna and Blaine Cochran, of Almira, WA. Also surviving are her six grand children, Leslie (Doug) Erickson of Woodinville, Jeff (Bonny) Cochran of Almira, Gay-Ellen (Curtis) Vinson of Bothell, Robin (Reed) Schifferman of Seattle, Brad (Lynne) Vea of Maple Valley, and LeAnn (Kevin) DeGroot of Palm Springs, CA.

Evelyn has nine surviving great grand children, Jerrod (Ami) Vinson of Seattle, Jamie (Vern) Lang of Marysville, Megan (Nate) Earling of Spokane, Mark Erickson, Jillian Erickson, Jessica Vinson, Jena Vinson, Caitlin (Jesse) Todd, and Colin Schifferman. Surviving and thriving great great grandchildren are Madison, Wyatt and Evelyn Lang, Oliver Earling and the newest, born on December 29, 2015, Caiden Vinson.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her sister and brother-in-law, Cole and Chloe Elder and numerous cousins, including Nell Vaughn of Coulee City.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Evelyn’s honor to: The Almira Cemetery Assoc., C/O Julie Jones, PO Box 114, Almira, WA 99103