Ruth Devola Jones
Ruth Devola Jones of Southampton died on December 4 at the Westhampton Care Center surrounded by family. She was 80.
Born June 16, 1930, in Camden County, North Carolina, she was the eldest of three children born to Edna and Willie Bank.
She attended the Newland Grade School and P.W. Moore High School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and had been a member of Sawyer Creek Baptist Church in Camden, North Carolina, since childhood. As a teenager she met and married Linwood Proctor in 1945 and the couple had two children. She later married Bruce C. Jones with whom she had four children.
Upon receiving certification as a nursing assistant, she moved to Southampton to care for her grandparents. Over the span of six decades she worked in several capacities including at Snow White Cleaners in Southampton, Rowe Industries in Sag Harbor for more than 25 years and Todd Nursing Home in Southampton for more than 20 years.
She joined the First Church of God in Christ under the pastorate of Elder Garland Thomas. She later joined King’s Chapel Church of God in Christ where she earned a reputation for her sweet potato pies, potato salad, and chicken pot pie. Congregation members also said she was a caring and compassionate woman of faith who loved the Lord, loved her church, the preaching, teaching and spiritual guidance of her pastor, Dr. Frank Anthone White.
In addition to her husband Bruce Jones, she is survived by a son Abdullah “Pro” Proctor and his wife Margaret of Southampton; five daughters and their husbands, Katy and Eli Fishburne of Bridgehampton, Romana and Herman Ward of Southampton, Janette and Shelton Crutch and Phyllis and Cardwell Cowell, both of North Carolina, and Caroline and Larry Hires of Virginia; a stepson, Victor Jones of North Carolina; a sister, Dora Williams; two aunts, Mattie Banks of Southampton and Erma Lee Reed of Pennsylvania; three granddaughters, Anita Cowell, Saimona Ward and Amani Wingfield; eight grandsons, Robert Jones, Troy and Jamel Hires, Kareem and Jamal Proctor, Darrel and Travis Fishburne, and Herman Ward III; 10 great-grandchildren, eight sisters- and brothers-in-law; many nieces, nephews, cousins; and a large group of church family and friends. She was predeceased by a sister, Mary Walker, and a grandson, Cardwell Cowell Jr.
A viewing and funeral service, officiated by the Reverend Dr. Frank A. White, was held on December 11 at Southampton Full Gospel Church. Interment followed at Southampton Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Brockett Funeral Home in Southampton.
on Dec 22, 2010