Florence Jones

Flo Jones Mother of 7, Community Leader, Global Healthcare Advocate, and Generous Philanthropist

Known throughout the community as a tireless advocate for improving the lives of others, Florence “Flo” Shepherd Jones, 76, of Jonesboro died on Friday, September 23rd. She will be sorely missed. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Jones had been a Jonesboro resident for 50 years. She received her nursing diploma from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago in 1951 and began her nursing career as a Registered Nurse at the Visiting Nurse Association in Chicago. She served her country from 1953 to 1955 in the United States Navy as a nurse, holding the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. While stationed in Millington, she met and married Arthur Philip “Phil” Jones, Jr., a life-long Jonesboro resident, business and community leader, and certified public accountant. Phil often said that the best thing he ever did for Jonesboro was marry this “Navy nurse” and bring her back to Jonesboro. Jones continued what would become her more than 50 year career in nursing and healthcare upon moving to Jonesboro with Phil after they were married in 1955. They quickly began to build a family that grew from 1956 to 1968 to include their 7 children. In addition to focusing on her family in her early years in Jonesboro, Flo also worked as a full-time registered nurse at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center. Then, starting in 1960, she worked part-time as an office nurse for numerous Jonesboro physicians. From 1965 to 1973, she served as an instructor at the Licensed Practical Nurses School here. Thereafter she continued to guide the school as a member of its Advisory Board. In the mid-1970s, she owned and operated the Live Oak Nursing Home. Jones believed in life-long learning, and in 1985 earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Arts from St. Joseph’s college in North Wyndham, Maine. Jones was an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church for five decades. She served on the Parish Council, the Finance Committee, and many other committees. She particularly enjoyed serving on the committee that called on sick parishioners and chaired that group for several years. Jones believed deeply in serving her community, and she put her healthcare education and experience to work for Jonesboro’s citizens whenever she saw unmet needs. She served as the president of the advisory board of St. Bernards Home Health Agency. And for almost 20 years she served as a member of the Ethics Committee of St. Bernards Regional Medical Center. In 1979, she helped organize the steering committee that brought the Hospice program to our community. She served as a founding board member of Hospice of Northeast Arkansas and led that group as President. She was the driving force behind the establishment of a Hospice program by St. Bernards and served as chair of its Advisory Board. She also served on the board of directors of the Arkansas State Hospice Association. The Hospice Foundation of Arkansas recognized Jones’s many contributions with its 1996 Hospice Heart award. In 1991, Jones, Dr. Weldon Rainwater, Emil Williams and others recognized that residents of northeast Arkansas without health insurance were not receiving adequate health care. They responded by establishing the Jonesboro Church Health Center. The Center has cared for almost 15,000 people and continues its ministry of healing, health, and hope. During the last 14 years, Jones served the Center as a nurse, volunteer, member of the board of directors, and board president. In 2001, the Arkansas Hospital Association recognized Jones’s lifetime of commitment to healthcare with its Distinguished Service Award. She was instrumental in bringing pre-natal care to the Craighead County Health Department. Jones’s passion for improving healthcare reached far beyond Jonesboro. In 1982, she traveled to Bogotá, Columbia to help establish a 24-bed hospital and train the nursing staff. While there she also served as an advisor for nine nursing homes for the poor. In 1985, she went to Mexico as a medical missionary nurse as part of a mission run by Sr. Elaine Willett of Jonesboro’s Holy Angels Convent. In the 1990s, she made three trips to Prague and worked with her daughter Florence to help establish the Hospice Program in the Czech Republic. That program continues to meet the end-of-life needs of Czechs and their families. Just this summer she traveled to Quito, Ecudaor to serve and care for the disabled children of Camp Hope. For her outstanding contributions to healthcare throughout the world, in 2002 the Arkansas Medical Society presented Jones with its Shuffield Award. Jones believed in education and supported local institutions of higher learning. She served on advisory boards for the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at Arkansas State University and the Licensed Practical Nurses School at Delta Vo-Tech. In 1992, she was a member of the committee that selected a new dean for ASU’s College of Nursing and Allied Healthcare Professions. Jones also served as a member of the ASU Museum Advisory Council. Jones continued her community service through many local groups. She served as a board member for the Jonesboro Counseling Center, the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, United Way of Greater Jonesboro, PACES, Hispanic Community Services, Inc. and the David Puryear Home. Her other civic activities included Altrusa International, Inc. of Jonesboro, the Forum Commission and the Govermental Liaison, Community Transportation, and D.C. trip planning committees of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. Jones was a strong advocate for the establishment of a public transportation in our community, and was recently elected Chairwoman of the Jonesboro Economical Transportation Advisory Board. Several community groups recognized Jones for her many contributions to Jonesboro. In 1992, she received the Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds award and the Jonesboro Women of Today Outstanding Service Award. She received the Reach for a Star Community Service award in 1993. The Jonesboro Rotary Club presented her its James F. Gramling Service Above Self award in 2004. The Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce also recognized Jones with its two most prestigious awards – the 1993 Betty T. Sloan Promotion award and the 2003 Roy H. Jolly Volunteer award. Jones also received many statewide honors recognizing her service to others. The Jonesboro Chapter of the American Heart Association honored her in 1995 for her service in the fight against cardiovascular disease. In 1999 she was named an Arkansas Woman of Distinction and received the Ageless Hero Award. And in 2003 she was inducted into the Senior Arkansans Hall of Fame. She received the Governor’s Volunteer Excellence Award in 1992 and 1993. Survivors include Jones’s five daughters Charlott Jones and Kathleen Jones Cole, both of Jonesboro, Mary Jones of Little Rock, Florence Jones of Hardy, and Trish Jones of Atlanta; two sons, Philip A. Jones and Robert S. Jones, both of Jonesboro; a daughter-in-law, Mary Kay Jones of Jonesboro, and eight grandchildren, Courtney Cole Carnes, Benjamin Rush Davison, Florence Clarissa Cole, Anastasia Falk Cole, Lillian Mary Jones, Kathleen Elaine Jones, Isabelle Florence Jones and Therese Rose Jones, all of Jonesboro; two great-grandchildren, Ethan Carnes and Mallory Carnes of Little Rock; and two siblings, Kathleen Greene and Bob Shepherd of Chicago. Jones was preceded in death by her husband, Phil, her parents, Robert Emmett and Florence Hartwick Shepherd, and a brother, George Shepherd. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery. Active pall bearers will be Ben Davison, Bobby Shepherd, Richard Shepherd, Peter Shepherd, George Shepherd, Michael Shepherd, Johnny Greene. Honorary pall bearers will be Sarah Heern, Jean Davis, Mike Cameron, Joan Cash, Mary Hosinski, Lee Hummelstein, Rigmor Loberg, Betty Rich, Martie Shull, Albert Tate, Rev. Emil Williams, the Sisters of Holy Angels Convent, the Staff of the Jonesboro Church Health Center and the Staff of St. Bernards Hospice. Rosary will be said at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday at Emerson Funeral Home’s Memorial Chapel. Visitation will follow from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Florence S. Jones Charitable Trust, care of The Barrett & Deacon Law Firm, P.O. Box 1700, Jonesboro, Ark 72403.

To view the Flo Jones Memorial Tribute