Mrs. Elizabeth Holland Jones

COLUMBIA - Elizabeth “Liz” Stuart Holland Jones unexpectedly departed this life on Thursday, July 21, 2016 at the age of 55. Liz was born in Columbia, SC on May 23, 1961, the 5th of 6 children to James Harold and Katherine “Katty” Miller Holland. She was married to John Mark Jones. Liz was a graduate of the University of South Carolina with an Interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree in Physical Education. She loved teaching children the joy of sports and physical activity and served as a coach for little league soccer for many years. Liz was an extraordinary athlete. She excelled in every sport she played. In her early years, she played tournament tennis and achieved the rank of number one in the state of South Carolina for ages 18 and under. Later she played on the University of South Carolina Tennis Team. In addition, she played high school basketball at Greenville High School and later became a walk on for the USC ladies basketball team where her nickname was “Sparkplug” (probably from the energy she brought to the game). In the early years of her marriage, she became very proficient at snow skiing and served on the volunteer ski patrol at Sugar Mountain in North Carolina. More recently she took up golf and placed sixth in the state tournament after playing for only a year. She then served as a rules official on the Junior Ladies PGA for several years. Liz was a wonderful wife and mother. She loved her girls. She loved her Mark. Liz loved people from all walks of life. She served the local homeless community by working with the Trinity soup kitchen and her gentle soul was such a comfort to those she cared for through Hospice. She was a devout Christian and was a communicant at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia. She served as a Eucharistic Minister there. She recently attended Cursillo and was so inspired by the wonderful ministry that she decided to come back and serve on the staff. Liz was a deeply spiritual individual and loved the Lord so very much. It gives the family great peace to know she is with her Savior now. Liz is predeceased by her father, Jimmy Holland; and her brother, John Roddey Holland. She is survived by her two beautiful daughters, Katherine “Katty” Stuart Jones and Kelsey Elizabeth Jones; her loving husband, Mark; her mother and her siblings, James Harold Holland, Jr. (Lauren), Gill Wylie Holland (Debbie), Katherine Holland Doty (Gordon) and Becky Holland Sanders (Barry); and numerous nieces and nephews whom she adored and who adored her. Visitation will be held Sunday evening from 5 to 7:00 p.m. at the Jones family home, 150 Aspen Trail in Columbia and also following the service at the home. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2016 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street Columbia, SC. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: St. Lawrence Place, 2400 Waites Rd., Columbia, SC 29204; or Sunday Morning Soup Kitchen, c/o Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter St., Columbia, SC 29201.