Mary Frances Jones

Mary Frances Jones was born on June 16, 1931 in Greene County, NC in her family home. She graduated from Maury High School as Salutatorian and East Carolina College (ECU) with a B.S. degree in Home Economics, where she met the love of her life, Bill Jones. She and Bill lived in Faison and Raleigh before moving to Cary, NC in 1959. With three small children and pregnant with her fourth, she began her teaching career. She was a beloved and respected teacher in Cary. With four children going in many different directions, Mary Frances and Bill never missed a swim meet, dance recital, football or basketball game, or any other school event to support their children. You could not find more loving parents who adored each other and their family. While teaching, and with 3 teenagers still at home, Mary Frances took night classes at NC Central University to earn her Master’s Degree. One goal of Mary Frances was to own a business, and she decided it was time after twenty years of teaching. The first business she owned was a fabric store called “The Sew What Shop”. After a few years, she decided her heart’s desire leaned more toward design, so she opened a decorating business and drapery workroom appropriately named, “Style & Charm”. For the next 35 years, she worked in homes all over North Carolina. When she got a call from Jenny Fitch, owner of newly-started Fearrington Village, her career went to a different level. Not only did she decorate for their restaurants, shops and hotel, but also for numerous homeowners moving there. She was a true Southern lady and became fast friends with everyone she met, no matter their social status. Her last job as a decorator was furnishing the window blinds at Searstone Retirement Community. She retired and closed her business at the age of 83, so she could spend more time with her beloved husband.
Mary Frances left her earthly life on July 5, 2023 and is preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, William A. “Bill” Jones, her parents, Mack and Ethel Jones, brothers, Edwin Earl and Johnny Mack Jones, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Cecil Heath and Evelyn Jones. Mary Frances is survived by her children: Barry Nugent (Susan) of Louisville, KY, Pamela Richardson (Tim) of Pearland, TX, Clay Jones of Cary, NC, Karen Lewis of Erwin, NC, Brad Jones (Mary) of Port St. Lucie, FL, grandchildren: Angie Wolf (Jeff), Connie Lewis, David Jones, Robbie Lewis, Heather Jones and great-grandchildren: Shelby Rosel, Hannah Wolf, Jaylan Burton, Dylan Burton, Cayla Lewis, Michael Cline, Evan Jones, Kaylin Lewis, Aryn Lewis, Ashton Bulmahn, her siblings: Jackie Heath, Jerry Day (John), Ann Jones, and Bobbie Cumberworth (Terry), and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary Frances dearly loved her children and their spouses, siblings, and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She lived a long and eventful life, full of adventures and she met all of the life goals she set for herself.
Her memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 15th at First Cary United Methodist Church 117 Academy St., Cary, NC. Donations in her honor can be made to Transitions Life Care, www.transitionslifecare.org, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or Habitat for Humanity, www.habitat.org.