All Roads Led to Texas

Gladys Lucille Jones

January 5, 1927 -- October 1, 2021

Gladys L. Jones held several titles in her 94+ years. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, granny, aunt, sister, loyal friend, and a faithful Christian. The most recent title was Family Matriarch, and the last of her generation.

She had a witty sense of humor, often adding commentary to the television game shows she loved to watch.

Family was always a priority with Gladys. Born in Frisco, Texas on land that her parents, Chas Sr. and Pallie Wilborn, worked through the planting and harvest season. In off season, the family lived in and near Elgin, Texas – Chas' place of birth. She and her siblings attended the segregated school.

The family traveled throughout the state as itinerant workers.

While it was difficult, Gladys said she had fond memories of her family working together. Tragedy hit early. Chas died in 1934, leaving the oldest teenage boys to provide for the family. Barely two years later, Pallie died. The couple left their eight children in the care of Pallie's brother Early, who was also an itinerant farm worker, and his wife Pinkie.

In 1940, the family fractured with most of the children going their own way in life.

Gladys moved to Dallas with her sister Willie Lee (Gwendolyn). She stayed for a few years and then eventually moved to Lubbock. There she met Berry Jones, Jr. at a USO dance. They were married April 17, 1943 in a small ceremony.

"I didn't have a wedding dress or family to give me away," she said.

The couple lived in Dumas, Arkansas, near Pine Bluff, next door to Berry's family. She said they lived on a farm, owned an old Ford pickup truck, and had a couple of hunting dogs. When they left the house, the dogs would keep guard. The community church, she said, was in walking distance.

"That was some of my happiest times," she said. On Saturday's, they would take the truck into town and all the neighbors walking by would ask if they could catch a ride. The truck would have people hanging on to the sides, she said with a chuckle.

But because Gladys missed her family, Berry paid for her to take a cross-country bus ride to see her siblings face to face. She went from Arkansas to Texas to New York. She talked about how pretty the Ohio countryside was that she could see from her bus window. Her sister Dorothy, who was her running buddy, said before she died that the nine years without each other seemed like an eternity and was very difficult for her.

A short time later, the couple moved to Kansas City, Mo., to be with her sisters Gertrude Thomas, Carrie Wilborn, Dorothy Traylor and Lester Patterson. Brother Willie later joined them in Kansas City.

Her sisters Laverne (Baby) Green and Willie Bogans lived in Los Angeles; sister Violetta Hunt was in New York as was brother Clarence (Red) Wilborn. The eldest, Garland (James/aka Jimmie/aka "Po Boy") traveled the country. He settled in Los Angeles before he died. Brother Chas Jr., died as a young man.

In Kansas City, Gladys was employed for more than 20 years as a day worker for the Cook family. She was a faithful and active member of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, where Berry served as a deacon, and she sang in the choir.

The siblings were very close. The families spent holidays, birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions together. The Jones house was a place of refuge and landing. As new family moved to Kansas City, their home became the way station. Gladys and Dorothy enjoyed shopping together and going to the movies.

Berry died in 2005. Several years later, Gladys moved to Wichita, Ks., to be with her daughter Doris Jene (Dorothy) Washington. While there, she immensely enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

True to form, she joined the local church, Strangers Rest Baptist Church in Wichita. When she moved from her apartment to an assisted living center, she would walk down the hallway for Sunday worship services.

In November 2020, during the first phase of the Covid 19 pandemic, Gladys became ill. But ever the survivor, she rallied, improved her health and agreed to move to Texas in December 2020 for care with two of Lester's children.

With her return to her birth state, Gladys quickly grasped 21st century technology. She read Facebook posts, streamed movies and television shows, opened text messages on her cell phone to see family pictures, and happily shopped online. Even though her health was failing, she stayed in good spirits.

She died peacefully on October 1.

Her survivors include her only child, Doris Jene Washington; grandchildren Larry W. Owens Sr. (Teresa) and Donna Reed; great grandchildren LaKesha Lacy Atkinson (Quincy); Kiara Reed, Xavier Lacy, Larry Owens Jr., Patrick Gilmore, Ayonna McPherson, Aron McPherson, and Jretta Gilmore; several great, great grandchildren and great-great-great grandchildren. She will also be missed by a host of extended relatives.