Evelyn H. Jones

Evelyn was the second child of Arthur and Ruby Hood, born in Lenoir, NC in 1933. At age 9, Evelyn contracted a rare form of polio that attacks the brain stem. For nearly a full year, Evelyn was quarantined at Charlotte's Memorial Hospital in an iron lung, also undergoing a new therapy called the Sister Kinney treatment, which saved her life.

After high school, Evelyn studied secretarial services at Lenoir-Rhyne College and later moved to Charlotte, working for Allstate Insurance. In Charlotte, she met Tom Jones, a native of Shelby, on a blind date. They went dining and dancing at Charlotte's El Morocco Club. Evelyn later said, "Tom was the second-best dancer I ever danced with." They danced almost every night together, marrying in 1958.

Tom and his business partner Carroll Presnell founded Tom Carroll Studios behind the Ivey's department store in downtown Charlotte. Tom took pictures and sold them, Carroll built cameras and developed the film, and Evelyn ran the front desk. Eventually, they pioneered photography shops and baby-picture services nationally in chain stores including: Belk, Montgomery Ward, and Kmart. The resulting company, Jones and Presnell Studios, had locations all throughout North America.

Once Evelyn's children were born, she became a full time mother. From a young age, Evelyn was a voracious reader, on a first name basis with all the librarians. She also volunteered at Charlotte Presbyterian Hospital and enjoyed singing and traveling with the "Sweet Adelines".

Evelyn and Tom moved to Myrtle Beach in 1998, the year their grandson Dominick was born. Tom passed away in 2001.

Evelyn was a member of Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church, attended Community Bible Study, and was an active member of the Life Together Bible Study Class. She loved her ODPC church family and often spoke of how thankful she was for such a smart, compassionate, and authentic group of people who love the Lord.

Evelyn Hood Jones passed away at home the morning of January 5, 2017 from an apparent heart attack. She is predeceased by her husband of 43 years, Thomas (2001), and her brothers Harold (2016) and Neil (1994). Tom and Evelyn have two children, Kelly Jones Gabriele (husband Bobby) and Jeffrey Jones, and one grandchild, Dominick.

Evelyn will be remembered for her deep, enduring love of family; and her classy, gracious, witty, and wise personality.

A memorial service will be held at Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church at 11am on Saturday, January 21, 2017, with a reception to follow in the LFLC.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the deacon's fund at Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church, PO Box 277, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29597.

A guestbook is available at www.leefhandcrematory.com.

Lee Funeral Home and Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.