Josie Mae Jones Mims

Josie Mae Jones Mims passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on May 22, 2026. She was the oldest of 5, born to the late Johnny J. and Velta Cozetta H. Jones. She was born in Sunbright, TN. While the family was living in Winslow, Arizona she met and married Airman Robert L. Mims in 1958 at the age of 17. They had one daughter together, Linda Mims Rowland in 1960. After he served his time in the Air Force, they settled in Columbia, SC where he was from. Josie worked at many popular restaurants across Columbia throughout the years like the Palmetto Coffee Shop, Hulseys House of Ribs and Jesudi’s. But she was best known for her employment at LaBrasca’s Pizza on Fort Jackson Blvd where she served as a general manager and head waitress. She started in 1974 and retired in 2019. She and her sister were featured many times on the cover of Columbia Magazine, The State Newspaper and even made a debut or two on the local nightly news for their long-time service to the Columbia Community. She loved working at these places and made a lot of friends throughout the years. She was a tiny person with a big personality.

Josie is proceeded in death by her parents, her husband Robert L. Mims, her daughter Linda Rowland, sons in law Scott Chandler and James Rowland, her sister Rachel Wilson, and her 2 brothers Samuel Jones and James Jones. She leaves behind her granddaughter Kimberly Clark (Adam Boozer), great granddaughter Britney Clark, grandson Christopher Chandler, beloved sister and best friend Johnnie Rosborough and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Josie’s greatest joy in life was spending time with her family. She loved her weekly lunch dates with her sister and dinners with her grands. She truly loved her job and extended work family at LaBrascas’s Pizza where she was employed for 45 years. She genuinely loved going to work getting to serve and see all of her loyal long-time customers. But she especially loved her boss and dear friend who she thought of as a son, Brett Wilson. She never met a stranger and she never walked passed anyone in need of a few dollars or a meal. She loved Jesus and never missed a 4 am alarm to sit with her coffee and Bible ready to begin her day with her 5 am Bible study on TV every morning. She was an avid cleaner and painter. It was nothing for her to go home at 2 am from a long shift and stay up all night painting a room or two until the we hours of the morning. You always knew she was in the room by her laughter. There will be no shortage of Jo stories and memories and lots of laughter and joy in the day’s ahead. She was dearly loved and will be missed.

The family would like to give special thanks to family friends Jan and Jimmy Sheally for their wonderful meals and neighbor DeeDee for always looking out for her.

Services for Josie will be held at Dunbar Funeral Home on Devine St, Columbia, SC on May 29, 2026 at 3 pm. Visitation will be held prior to her service beginning at 1 pm at the funeral home and a short graveside will follow at Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens, 2603 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC.