Janice Jones

Janice Good Jones, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher and dear friend, died Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

She was the daughter of J.C. and Ruth Good of Memphis, Tennessee, where she grew up. She graduated from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. It was there that she met her future husband, the Rev. Roy H. Jones, whom she married in 1964.

Janice started her career as a first-grade teacher in Louisville, Kentucky. From 1967 to 1970 she and her husband spent time in Nuremberg and Stuttgart, Germany, where she taught children of American military personnel. From 1971 to 1984 she lived in Evansville, Indiana, and turned her focus to starting a family and raising her two children, Christopher Caleb and Marla Ruth. During this time, she led various PTA, church and community activities.

After moving to Cape Girardeau with her family in 1984, she returned to her passion of teaching and developing young children by joining Head Start and later served on the board. When the opportunity arose to lead the establishment of a new grant program, Educare, to train preschool children's teachers across the Cape Girardeau area, Janice was thrilled to join. She was energized by the ability to make a bigger impact across the community and in more children's lives. As an avid learner and passionate to incorporate new ideas, Janice returned to school at Southeast Missouri State University and earned her master's degree in education in 1998.

After many years leading and expanding the mission of Educare, Janice retired to spend more time with her family and friends. She loved to travel and cook Southern food and was an avid gardener. Even in retirement she continued her love for educating others as a Missouri state consultant in early childhood working with preschools across the state.

For more than 20 years, Janice served on the board of the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (formerly called Community Caring Council).

Surviving in addition to her husband, Roy Jones, are her son, Christopher (Michelle) Jones of Cape Girardeau; daughter, Marla Hamilton of Dallas; beloved grandchildren, Garrett Jones, Sophia Hamilton and James Hamilton; and brother, Jimmy (Gina) Good.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Lynwood Baptist Church.

A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with Rev. Mark Anderson officiating. Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery.

Donations in her honor may be made to Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri at cpsemo.org.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.