BERNICE MEDLEN JONES

CLASS OF 1947

AUGUST 22, 1930 - APRIL 4, 2004

On Palm Sunday, April, 4, 2004, Bernice Jones, 73, died at Brandon Woods Retirement Home in Lawrence. Bernice Bernie was born to Jess and Ruby Medlen outside Paola, on Aug. 22, 1930, her father s birthday. Bernice is survived by two of her five siblings, William Bill Medlen, of Lawrence, and Lois Haines, of Topeka.

She was reared and attended school in Miami County and graduated from Osawatomie High School in May 1947. Bernice married Gerald Law. They divorced in 1948. Her first son, Steven, died shortly after childbirth and was buried in Osawatomie Cemetery in Miami County. She later married Walter Lee Jones Jr. on Jan. 29, 1952, in Bentonville, Ark. She had five children with Walt, Becky Siple and husband, Tim, Conyers, Ga., Jeff and wife, Barbara, Pocatello, Idaho, Kelly and wife, Melissa, Kansas City, Mo., Lu Ann Hodges, Raleigh, N.C., and Abbie Flory and husband, Jeff, Lawrence, who in turn gave her eight grandchildren and a great grandchild. She dearly loved her grandchildren.

Bernice worked as a Realtor in Topeka for 20 years, first at Kirk & Co., retiring from Valley Realtors in 1995. She also was an active member of the Women s Council of Realtors. Bernice and Walt were active members of the Potwin Presbyterian Church for 40 years. She was active in the church, where she sang in the Choir, was a deacon, an elder and was a member of Dorcas and other church groups. Bernice will lie in state beginning at noon Wednesday at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel, 1321 S.W. 10th Street, Topeka, 66604. The family will greet friends and relatives from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held in Potwin Presbyterian Church, 400 S.W. Washburn, Topeka, 66606. The service begins at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday with interment following at West Lawn Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to the church in Bernice s name and online condolences for the family at www.penwellgabel.com .

Published in the Topeka Capital-Journal from 4/6/2004 - 4/7/2004.

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