Shirley Ann (Armstrong) Jones was born December 28, 1937, in McNeal Arkansas to the late Annie (Purifoy) Armstrong and Albert Armstrong.  She grew up in Chidester, Arkansas and attended and graduated from Pleasant Hill High School.

Shirley accepted Christ at an early age where she was baptized at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.  There, she served as secretary of the Sunday School and President of the B.Y.P.U., Junior Usher Board, and Junior Choir.

In 1956, Shirley moved to Rockford, Illinois where she met the love of her life and married Roy C. Jones who preceded her in life.  This matrimony lasted for 52 years and to this union three children were born:  Patricia Elaine, Anthony Armstrong, and Shawn Allen.  Shirley fellowshipped with the Bethel Baptist Church Rockford.  In 1959, she moved to Moline, Illinois and united with the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in East Moline, Illinois family and remained a faithful tithing member to her death.  While there she served on the Junior Usher Board, Young Adult Choir, and eventually became president of the Inspirational Choir and president of the Women’s Auxiliary, superintendent of Sunday School and many other committees.   Shirley was always working and serving in multiple church ministries.

After attending Black Hawk College and receiving an associate degree in nursing, she organized the nurse’s health unit and became the president and started a library at the church for the parishioners. She continued her studies and became a registered nurse. Shirley was employed at Lutheran Hospital, United Medical and Trinity Medical Center. She also served as the parish nurse at Mt. Zion Church and worked with the nurses of the Quad City Area.  She was the instructor for the Wood River District Association where she taught in the nursing ministries at the local churches.  “How The Bible Came to Be” was one of her informative and creative Bible teaching classes.

Upon moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 2007, Shirley made sure to establish herself with a bible teaching church.  She united with the New Light Missionary Baptist Church where she remained until the Lord called her home.  Always a worker, she served with the Mother’s Ministry and Bible Study Meetings Ministry.  Shirley traveled all over the state of Illinois as a member of the Witness Project Program which is a wellness program with the mission of educating, empowering, and navigating the community to preventative services.

Her love for volunteerism led Shirley to become a member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Amicae Auxiliary in 2012 in Auburn, Alabama.  She was the first person in either Zeta or Amicae to be inducted in the organization via Skype. Afterward, her membership was transferred to the Nu Theta Zeta Amicae Auxiliary in Warrensville Heights, Ohio in 2015.  There she held the office of President, 1^st Vice President secretary and was to become the auxiliary’s parliamentarian in this year’s election. Shirley attended the organizations’ conferences on the national, regional, state, and local levels. Through the auxiliary she participated with the women’s shelter, the Cleveland Food Bank, and Singleton Nursing Home to name a few.  She utilized her nursing degree as a Registered Nurse by providing services at many health fairs.

Shirley loved talking about her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Israel.  While there, she was baptized in the Jordan River and has the document of proof!  Shirley was an avid bible reader as well as a teacher of the word wherever the opportunity provided itself. She loved basketball and can be considered a top basketball fan.  Back in the day, she coached her daughters’ Biddy Basketball team and led them to a championship in Moline, Illinois. She liked AAU track and field which all her children participated in, and she was one of the traveling moms with the team. She liked to travel with the Amicae to different conferences and visit her Niece Brenda who is also an Amicae as often as possible in Bloomington, Illinois, or here in Cleveland, Ohio.  This was her favorite visitor along with Loretta Dawn-Graham from Rockford Illinois.

Shirley leaves to celebrate her life, a dedicated daughter, Patricia; an attentive son Anthony, and supported son Retired Army Captain Shawn (Rose) (stepchildren Joseph, and grandchildren Jasmine and Josiah, Bryan, Jamie). Her niece Brenda Hale (Harvey) who was like a daughter and her husband like a son. Brenda’s sons Justin and Chris would always send her flowers and call just to talk during holiday and when they were traveling throughout the country, also on special occasions.  She has many nieces and nephews that are now living with an empty spot in their heart for “Mother Jones”.

A secondary service will be held on Wednesday, June 12 with visitation at 11:00 A.M. and service at 12:00 P.M. at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church on 1501 6th Avenue in East Moline, Illinois 61244.