Erma Clara Jones, age 94 of Pocahontas, passed away on Sunday, January 5, 2020 at the Randolph County Nursing Home.

Erma was born in Pratt, Missouri on November 21, 1925 to James Vernon Ray and Ona Fowler Ray.

She was married to Alden Jones on May 8, 1942. They were married 65 years at the time of Alden's death in 2008.

Mrs. Jones worked as an office employee of a defense plant in St. Louis, Missouri during World War II followed by many years of service to Brown Shoe Company where she retired in 1985.

However, Erma's real passion was serving her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Youth Church for many years and was very active in Women Active for Christ both at the local church and district level. She rarely missed an opportunity to witness to others even during her final weeks and days on this earth.
Her other passions were being a good wife, mother, homemaker and cook. After being confined to the nursing home she often said the two things she missed most were attending church at Sutton and cooking.

In addition to her parents and devoted husband, Erma was preceded in death by one brother, Ulysses Ray; and two sisters, Betty Kempff Yambrick and Shirley Johnson.

Mrs. Jones is survived by four children: Don (Zinkie) Jones of Belhaven, North Carolina; Sue (Cletus) Edgmon of Nashville, Tennessee; Eddie (Phyllis) Jones of Pocahontas, Arkansas; and Terry (Darlene) Jones of Damascus, Arkansas. One brother and one sister survive: Vernon Oliver Ray of Naples, Florida and Barbara (Carroll) Callahan of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Nine grandchildren survive: Amanda DeMarco, Anthony Edgmon, Lisa Benton, Jeff Edgmon, Ben Edgmon, Chad Dooley, LaDonna Harbeck, Joe Jones and Candice Meadows. She is also survived by 21 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, two sisters-in-law - Irma (Joe) Hampton of Arnold, Missouri and Norma Carter of Machesney Park, Illinois and a host of other friends and family.

Visitation will be Wednesday, January 8 from 5-7 p.m. at McNabb Funeral Home in Pocahontas. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 9 at the Sutton Free Will Baptist Church with Randy Scott, Kevin Barnett and Dustin Meadows officiating. Burial will follow the funeral in the Sutton Cemetery. Grandsons and great grandsons will serve as pallbearers with the deacons of Sutton Free Will Baptist Church serving as honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to The Gideons International for the purchase of Bibles.

The family of Erma Jones wishes to thank the staff of the Randolph County Nursing Home for their attentive, compassionate, and professional care over the past 2 ½ years.