Sarah Elizabeth Jones

The Life Story Sarah Elizabeth Ford Jones, a pioneer, daughter of the late Hubert Samuel Ford and Eliza Wallace Ford, was born June 28, 1936, in Philadelphia PA. Our Sarah transitioned this life peacefully on Friday, December 13, 2019, to be home with our Lord and Savior. Sarah, affectionately known to her family as Sarah Bo, grew up in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she and her twin sister, Lula, were the middle of the closely bonded five sisters and five brothers. Sarah went to the entirely Black staffed Smith Elementary School where caring teachers taught students who thrived in learning. Then, she attended West Philadelphia High School. Sarah mastered the secretarial skills, which earned her the means to later matriculate at Cheney University. While attending school Sarah met her husband Dr. Eugene Jones Jr. In 1965, they married and from this union two children were born. They moved to Washington, DC where Sarah completed her master’s degree in education from Howard University. She has a published dissertation on “Achievement Motivation and Performance of Second Grade Manipulation Toys and Puzzles” that can be found on the library shelves today. Sarah had a natural passion for teaching and believed that children are our future. Immediately following graduation, she became an elementary school teacher in Washington, DC for 16 dedicated years. In 1981, Sarah and her family moved to Dover, Delaware where she continued her passion for teaching at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. Sarah always wanted to give back and she was able to fulfill this mission in her local Delaware community and at her home church, Calvary Baptist, in Dover, with her service spanning over 40 years. As a devoted member at Calvary Baptist, Sarah held many auxiliary positions. It was there that she became the Chair of the Education and Scholarship Committee; a dedicated member of both the Sanctuary and Combined Choirs. Sarah lovingly spearheaded and created the Black History Program and was an active participant of the Jewel Group Ministry. Deservedly, Sarah was a Silver Lifetime Member of the NAACP, where she served as Secretary. As a part of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Sarah countlessly and caringly volunteered her services to support many social causes and help the next generation of women through education and empowerment. It was in Dover that Sarah and her husband ventured into entrepreneurship, opening small businesses in the Dover area. She became a prominent mother figure in the city which prompted many of the community members to give her the adopted name of “Mom Sarah”. Sarah loved to cook and entertain. Her family knew her for her delectable peach cobbler and blueberry pie, but the community and friends knew her for her delicious macaroni and cheese. These dishes, as well as others, were the catalyst for the opening of her first business, The Smokehouse Restaurant. Always active in the community, Sarah joined the YMCA water sports where she participated three days a week. Later in life, she began going to the Modern Maturity Center that supported the senior living activities. Sarah is preceded in death by her mother and father; husband, Dr. Eugene Jones, Jr.; brothers, Jerome Ford, Hubert Ford, Eugene Ford, Albert Ford, and Ross Ford; sister, Parthenia Quarles. Sarah is survived by her two children, Dwayne Jones Sr. (LaFrance Trott) and Jocelyn Beth Jones; five grandchildren: E’Tiffany Jones-Caldwell (Eugene), Chae Jones, Dwayne Jones Jr., Niah Jones and Zaire Jones; Five great grandchildren: Rasiah Miller, Warner Henry, Phoebe Caldwell, Naomi Caldwell, and Dwayne Jones III; three sisters Mary Reaves of Eddystone PA, twin sister, Lula Remy of Kissimmee, Fl., and Frances Bowser of Jenkintown, PA; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Andrews of Maryland and Helen Andrews of Atlanta, GA.; brothers-in-law John Bowser Sr. and Wilbert Andrews; special relatives, Tamara and Joseph Rivers, Carlton Remy, Lawrence Remy, Michelle Remy, Nancy Quarles, James Quarles, Samantha Quarles, Jessica Quarles, Cameron Quarles, Stacey Ford, John Bowser, Jr, Jordan Bowser, Donna Ford, Erskine Armstrong, Veronica Armstrong, Rhonda Bracy, Angela Davis, Christian Cole, Eliza Augusto, Glenn Simms, Jenny Ford, Isaac Ford, Malik Ford, Lisa Ford-Thomas, Noelle Thomas, Leslie Ford, Lasinia Marshall, Denise Marshall, Donald Marshall, Jr., Victoria and Kevin Brown, Helen Best, Saran Best, Denali Best, Cordelia Matthews, Agnes Washington and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Sarah Elizabeth Jones

June 28, 1936 - December 13, 2019