Elmeada "Jonesie" Utah Gaskins Jones Smith, 94, of Lake Elsinore, passed away on August 10th, 2019.
Jonesie was born in Bemis, TN on December 11th, 1924. She married Truman W. Jones soon after graduating from high school. They were blessed with a little baby girl, Bonnie Ann, on January 4th, 1943. Bonnie Ann died the same year onDecember 3rd. In 1945 they welcomed their first son, Truman W. Jones, Jr. Their second son, Michael Stephen Jones, wouldn’t arrive until after they divorced and then remarried. Jonesie decided to start a new life in southern California after a second divorced in 1955. Being a single mother in 50’s and 60’s was a struggle, but she met each challenge with conviction and integrity.
Jonesie remained single until she met the love of her life, Richard "Dick" Smith, when she was just a "young" 59 year old Wonder Woman. They married on December 16th, 1984 and enjoyed a wonderful relationship. It was then she acquired her third bouncing boy, 18 year old Greg Smith.
Jonesie worked at several different jobs, many at the same time, in order to support her two boys: McMann furniture, Clyde’s Coffee Cup in Idyllwild, as a bookeeper at: Tava Lanes bowling alley, Sovereign Savings and Loan, Garden of Prayer Mortuary, and Paulden Evans Interior Design in La Costa.
She is survived by: her sister Gwen Siler, brothers Sam and Jerry Gaskin, three sons, 4 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and a list of loving nieces, nephews, and caring friends.
A challenge for those who live until they are 94 is outliving so many loved ones… her mother, Georgia Norman; her dear aunt & uncle, James & Bertha Garrett; her wonderful cousin Henry Garrett, her spouse Richard Smith, her grandson Damon Jones, her baby girl Bonnie Ann, and too many close and supportive friends.
Funeral service will be held from 1-2pm, August 17th at Evans-Brown mortuary with visitation from 11am-1pm. Burial will be on the following Friday, August 23rd, 9:30am, Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Elmeada Jones Smith, please visit our floral store.