EBENEZER CEMETERY - CAMP COUNTY

PITTSBURG - Marion Jo Decker Jones, 69, longtime resident of Longview 
and Pittsburg, Texas, died March 9, 2011, in Tyler. 

Jo is survived by her husband of 46 years, Edgar "Eddie" H. Jones; son, 
Jay Jones and wife, Jessca; and two granddaughters, Shelby (4) and Jayden 
(3), all current residents of Pittsburg. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alice Barnwell Decker and 
William Frank Decker. 

Jo passed away after a valiant fight at East Texas Medical Center 
following aorta aneurism surgery on January 28th. 

Born March 3, 1942, in Longview, she grew up in Longview (Greggton), 
attended Pine Tree Schools (class of 1960), Kilgore Junior College 
and Stephen F. Austin State University. Jo resided in the home she 
and Eddie completed in 1979 at Paradise Village on Lake Bob Sandlin 
as the new lake was filling. Legendary as a crappie fisher, Jo would 
chuckle as she boated fish after fish while son Jay, fishing alongside, 
didn't get a nibble. Jay's mom was also a championship-caliber bowler, 
and he fondly remembers all those hours they spent together at a 
bowling alley. 

An accomplished pianist and flutist, she figure skated as if floating 
when she was a young girl and was a majorette and elected "Most 
Beautiful" at PTHS. However, Jo's childhood home life was difficult as 
a harsh, oftentimes cruel, father created a steel will within her. 

On May 1, 1964, Jo's life changed dramatically as she married classmate 
Eddie Jones, whose picture as "Most Handsome" faces hers in the PTHS 
1960 yearbook. Periodically, Eddie reminded Jo they would be cheek to 
cheek in those dust-covered yearbooks in dusty old attics long after 
both were returned to dust themselves. Day after day, he promised her 
his love for her would last "forever and a day." They never waivered 
from their wedding vows of faithfulness and devotion to each other.
Husband, Eddie, and eventually, son Jay, became the unrelenting focus 
of Jo's daily life. When Eddie returned from Vietnam in 1969 as a 
decorated survivor of battlefield service to his country in the U.S. 
Army, Jo was ready to stand by the side of her wounded warrior. She 
carried his Bronze Star for Valor wherever she went. She was there in 
those days when he faced scorn from those who disapproved of his service 
to his country, and this strong, straightforward woman never faltered 
as they raised a son and built a life together that was largely solitary. 
Son Jay, could write several chapters in the book of "tough love," but 
there could be no doubt his mother's love was always there. Jo was 
extremely proud of the man her son has become as a loving son and loving 
husband and loving father of two wonderful daughters. 

Marion Jo Decker Jones was fiercely patriotic. She was plain-spoken and 
could be quite colorful in expressing her beliefs and viewpoints, but 
"political correctness" was anathema to her. She was a proud member of 
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas by right of ancestry. She wanted 
her country to return to the intentions of its founders as expressed in 
the U.S. Constitution. She was angry upon learning how school textbooks 
were being rewritten and children were being taught to embrace socialism. 
Jo was a generous supporter of conservative political causes and candidates, 
and was very heartened by the Tea Party Movement and the signs other 
Americans were fed up enough to put their country back on course to 
individual freedom from oppressive government.

Marion Jo Decker Jones will be interred on Saturday, March 19, 2011, at 
11 a.m., in Ebenezer Cemetery located on FM 557 approximately 5.1 miles 
East from Hwy 271 in Pittsburg. 

Graveside services will be conducted by school classmate, the Rev. Charles 
G. Wolfe of Point Arthur, Texas. All who wish to attend this simple burial 
are welcome. 

In lieu of cut flowers or potted plants as remembrances, contributions 
to an individual's favorite charity in Jo's name would be a fitting tribute. 

Published in Longview News-Journal on March 15, 2011