Sylvia Jean Watkins Jones, affectionately known as: “Silky”, “Si Jean”, “Jean”, “Grandmoma”, “Grandma Cherry”, “Grandmomma Syl” and the best and most honorable name, “Moma” was born in Madison County, Tennessee, on December 31, 1947, to the late Virgil and Mary Novella Watkins. She passed away on July 14, 2024.
Sylvia graduated from Merry High with the class of 1965. She attended John Hospkins Nursing School in Memphis, TN, but returned home before she finished because she was homesick. She then worked several different jobs to help care for her family. Her most loved and talked about job was being a nurse’s aide at Jackson-Madison General Hospital.
Sylvia loved getting up early on Saturday mornings to go to the farmer’s market to get vegetables for Sunday’s dinner. Some of our greatest memories will be of the times we spent together eating her wonderful cooking. She loved spending time with her family. Other past times of hers included: watching Westerns, listening to music, and going to Maggie Moos Ice Cream shop. She loved Maggie Moos!! She always said that Saturday was her lazy day, which meant you would hear Matt Dillon, Kitty, Festus, and Deputy Marshall throughout the house. If she wasn’t watching Westerns, she would have been watching Chicago Fire or Swamp People. She actually thought that she could drive a fire truck and catch an alligator just from watching them do it! Go figure. She would be on the edge of her seat when they caught an alligator.
She fell in love and married Jessie Lee Jones, Sr. and from this union, two sons and two daughters were born. Shortly after marriage, she became a member of The Tabernacle of David, The House of Israel, where she was a faithful member until her passing.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Mary Watkins; her husband, Jessie Jones, Sr.; a daughter, Dawn Michelle Jones; five brothers, Richard Watkins, Clarence Watkins, Andre James Watkins, Virgil Watkins Jr. and Booker Sullivan; one sister, Marcella Watkins, and a very special niece, Jackie Garrett.
Left to cherish her wonderful memories are: two sons, Swan Maurice Jones and Marlan (Megon)Jones; a daughter, Misty (Kaseng)Hill; two stepchildren, Lovie Whitelaw and Jessie (Carolyn) Jones, Jr.; a very special niece/care taker, Florita Freeman; two very special friends/daughters, Cecilia Birdine and Karen Fuller, all of Jackson, TN; Four sisters, Mary Thomas of Columbia, South Carolina, Rebecca Watkins and Vondora Golden of Memphis, TN, and Sudie Watkins of Augusta, GA; one brother, Travis Watkins of Florida; a very special cousin, Nell Reid; six grandchildren, Swan March, Mia March, Sequan Jones, Aleigha Jones, Kennedie Currie, and Jocelyn Jones; four great grandchildren, Tristan Jones, Yara Gunn, Kinsley Moore, and Taylor Moore; two close friends Jean Riley and Berder Rhea and a host nieces, nephews and friends.
