Margaret Marnie Stone Jones

Charlotte - Margaret Bradford Stone Jones (Marnie) was born to Reverend Dr. Albert and Hattie Mae Stone on April 29, 1927, in Cynthiana, Kentucky. She passed away at the Levine-Dickson Hospice House at Southminster in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 29, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.

After her birth, Marnie lived in several communities in Kentucky before graduating from Henry Clay High School in Lexington. While attending Kentucky Wesleyan College, she met her husband, John. They began raising their family while moving to Indiana and, eventually, Ohio. Marnie, who was a very strong, dauntless woman, strived to make things better for all around her. She lovingly nursed a daughter through a two year-long illness, fought for women through the League of Women Voters, and supported the arts as a docent for the Cleveland Orchestra and Music Carnival. During those years, Marnie was active as a Girl Scout leader, a Sunday school teacher, and wrote and directed children’s pageants. When her children were older, Marnie began teaching English at Seneca Junior High School and finished her bachelor’s degree at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. After the sudden death of her husband, she moved to Charlotte to be closer to a daughter, and embraced the community, becoming a member of Providence Methodist Church and Circle 2. Marnie had a powerful love for God and all of His creation, expressing this love by doing her daily devotions, reading her Bible faithfully, and praying continuously.

During her life, Marnie enjoyed being involved in many community organizations and had numerous hobbies. She was a 60 year member of DAR, serving as a regent and national defense chairman. She also was in Colonial Dames, Women’s Club, and was a docent at the Harn Museum in Gainesville, Florida. Marnie was a skilled bridge player, a voracious reader, and an accomplished writer. Being an experienced seamstress, Marnie passed on her skills to her daughters and granddaughters. Marnie wrote and published poetry (Quilts and Coverlets) and a family cookbook (Stone Soup) as well as church pageants.

Marnie was a champion and supporter of her family throughout her life. She loved greatly and lived abundantly. Preceding her in death is her husband of 56 years, John Tilden Jones.

Surviving Marnie are her daughters, Judy (Dick) McLaughlin of North Canton, Ohio, Debby (Steve) Wade of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Cathi (Bill) Simkins of McKinney, Texas; her grand-children, Leigh McLaughlin (Rob) Johnston of Massillon, Ohio, Lindsay McLaughlin (Dan) Like of Dublin, Ohio, Whitney Wade (John) Martin of Colorado Springs, Colorado, JV (Sveta) Simkins of Atlanta, Georgia, Eryn Wade (Matt) Kalavsky of South Pasadena, California, and Annie Simkins (Devin) Stuckey of Chesapeake, Virginia; her great-grandchildren, Justin, Jacob, Jonah, and Jamison Johnston, Jack and Lauren Like, Hogan and Jones Martin, Livy and Miles Kalavsky, Declan Stuckey, and Catya Simkins.

As the family will be gathering in Charlotte for Christmas, a memorial service is being planned for Marnie on Saturday, December 26, 2015, at 3:00 P.M. in the chapel at Providence United Methodist Church.

Memorial gifts may be sent to The Levine-Dickson Hospice House, 8919 Park Road Suite 1000, Charlotte, NC 28210 or Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211.