Margaret Loveta Palmer Jones

To Margaret Loveta Jones, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Margaret, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Margaret really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Her parents were Floyd and Oma Palmer. Margaret was raised in San Bernardino County, California. Even as a child, Margaret had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Margaret was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Margaret managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Margaret was raised with four siblings. She had an older sister Willadean, older brother Bobby, younger brothers, Richard and David.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Margaret was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Margaret simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Margaret, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Margaret's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Home Economics.

Margaret never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Margaret to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Margaret delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Margaret was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Margaret utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, she became friends with Crystal Lindblad, Susie Carver, Marty Radkie and Griff Warren. Margaret loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Margaret very easy to approach. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Margaret related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Margaret was blessed with five children, one son Gary, four daughters, Toni, Rhonda, Laura and Gina. They were also blessed with eight grandchildren, Billy, David, Dawn, Danielle, Anne, Ryan, Craig, and Kristin. Margaret had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Margaret's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Margaret had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Margaret was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Margaret liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Margaret was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Margaret's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Margaret as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was waitressing. She was employed for 44 years in the restaurant business.

Margaret enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Margaret liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were picture painting, ceramic painting, playing cards and scrabble. Margaret was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Margaret was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were baseball and golf.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Margaret recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for nine years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Margaret just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Alaskan cruise, Hawaii cruise and Baja cruise.

Margaret believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1994, Margaret took it in stride as one more way to have fun. Her new life involved relocating to Yucaipa. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Margaret remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in playing cards and staying active in Church. Even in retirement, Margaret continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Margaret passed away on June 5, 2010 at home in San Bernardino, California. Fought a brave battle against several health ailments. She is survived by children, Gina, Rhonda, Laura, grandchildren, Billy, David, Dawn, Danielle, Anne, Ryan, Craig and Kristin and nine great grandchildren. Services were held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Margaret was laid to rest in Montecito Memorial Park, Colton, California.

Margaret brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Margaret Loveta Jones lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.