Florence Therese (Floatie) Jones

Florence Therese “Floatie” Jones, age 66, embarked on her most grand adventure July 24, 2025, at The Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House.

Floatie was born July 31, 1958, at St. Bernard’s Hospital to Florence Shepherd “Flo” and Arthur Philip “Phil” Jones, Jr.  She attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, Douglas MacArthur Junior High School, and was a 1976 Graduate of Jonesboro High School.

Her high school escapades were legendary-using the fire escape of the Family Home on Main Street to sneak out and wreak untold mischief upon the City of Jonesboro and its environs.

After spending one semester at ASU, Florence moved west to attend several colleges including The University of Northern Colorado in Greely, UNC Firenze, Florence, Italy, The Good Samaritan School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon eventually graduating in 1982 from Rapid City Regional School of Nursing, South Dakota. Her career as an RN began at Swedish hospital in Seattle after which she joined the traveling nurse corps with multiple assignments all over the country.  This service included a post at Charity Hospital in New Orleans where she cared for AIDS babies afflicted at the very beginning of the crisis, making a special point to hug every one despite the then common belief this could transmit the disease.  She never believed that and was later proven right.  She also volunteered her talents where she saw a need, serving within the US and internationally, including time with her mother ministering to villagers in Mexico, establishing hospice in Bogota, Columbia and the Czech Republic after the fall of communism.  Perhaps her favorite stint was the two summers she served as Nurse at her childhood camp, Miramichee in Hardy, Arkansas.  This allowed her to blend two passions in her life, nursing and the Spring River.

Floatie was an accomplished canoeist who loved all rivers, especially the Spring River in Hardy. From a young age she adored sharing time with Grandmother Lillian Jones at her cabin in Hardy. Eventually, Floatie built her own home, “Down River” on the Spring, downstream from Grandma Lilly’s cabin. Interest in rivers also drew her to the Guadalupe River in Texas, where she met the love of her life Glenn Black, a veteran and a builder.

Following nursing, Floatie had a treasured second career as a master woodworker and carpenter.  She and Glenn made a great team at this and were so talented together that they were commissioned by an Atlanta architect to build a unique design on a challenging lot.  She had a natural love of travel which always took her down the road less traveled and often involved using her nursing or carpentry skills in volunteerism. These adventures included years living in Atlanta, Georgia and Asheville, North Carolina. Her final years brought her back to Jonesboro.

She joins in death her longtime companion, Glenn Black, Mother and Father Flo & Phil Jones, Maternal Grandparents Robert E. & Florence Shepherd, Paternal Grandparents Arthur P. & Lillian Jones, as well as host of dear friends, Aunts, Uncles and cousins who preceded her.

Surviving and celebrating her are siblings Mary Jones (Richard Big ‘Un”), Charlott Jones (Bert Greenwalt), Kathy Jones Cole (Wally Jackson, deceased), Trish Jones (Lisa LaFave), Philip Jones (Pat Bomar), Robert Jones (Mary Kay) and a host of wonderful nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at Emerson Funeral Home Friday, August 15th 4:00-6:00 PM followed by a family eulogy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Monsignor Scott Friend Saturday, August 16th at 10:00 AM at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 1107 East Highland Drive, Jonesboro, followed by a graveside service at Holy Cross Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers are Kenny Brewer, Ben Davison, Cindy Falls, Sage Graham, Erik Gudmundson, Inge Gudmundson (Posthumously) Karen Lauder, Regina Myrick, Jeanette Powel and Byron Hewitt.  Emerson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Floatie asked that those considering a donation in her memory consider The Jonesboro Church Health Center, Post Office Box 924, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72403 https://www.jonesborochc.com/ or The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library, 315 West Oak Avenue, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401 https://www.libraryinjonesboro.org/. To sign an online guestbook, go to emersonfuneralhome.com.