Obituary of Mabel E. Jones

Mabel E. Jones, 94 of Coralville, IA died Friday, April 25, 2008 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. There will be a visitation from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm Thursday, May 1, 2008 at Good News Bible Church, 845 Pepperwood Lane in Iowa City. A memorial service will follow the visitation at 7 pm at the same location. Memorial donations may be made to Good News Bible Church or Iowa City Hospice. Online condolences may be sent to her family via www.gayandciha.com. Mabel Esther May was born July 19, 1913 on her parents farm in Wayne County, IA the daughter of William Stanford and Sadie Esther (Clodfelter) May. She graduated from Russell High School, in Russell, Iowa. She taught country school for several years before she was married. Mabel’s teaching career began at Maple Grove Country School where she also attended school as a child near her family farm and she later taught in Linden IA. On June 11, 1939 Mabel married Clark Eugene “Gene” Jones. They briefly owned and operated a propane and gas appliance store located on south Dubuque Street in Iowa City. They then both taught school for one year in Sabula, IA and returned to Iowa City where Mabel taught grade school at Madison Country School in North Liberty and Gene worked in the Motion Picture Department at the University of Iowa. Mabel began teaching at Penn Elementary School in North Liberty in 1961, received her BA in Education from the University of Iowa in 1965, and retired in June 1978. Mabel loved to teach geography to her students. She touched the lives of hundreds of students by reading the Laura Engels Wilder books and starting class each day with Bible readings. Many special times were spent with family and friends at the Jones’ vacation home in Sabula, IA on the Mississippi River. Mabel loved to travel and she traveled extensively around the US and internationally to Africa, Israel, Egypt, and Panama. She took one trip completely around the world. She was active at the IC Senior Center and participated in the Red Hat Society. She was a charter member at Coralville Evangelical Free Church and later a charter member of Good News Bible Church. She helped many people and asked they repay by doing good to others. She spent many happy hours with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mabel’s family includes her children, Kathy Kaser, Kennewick, WA; Clark Jones (Saundra) of Port Angeles, WA; Alan Jones (Jane) of Coralville; and Chauncey Jones (Linda) of Coralville; 14 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and five siblings. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is assisting Mabel’s family at this time.