Jones

Edna G. Jones, 102, of Natrona Heights died at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Alle-Kiski Medical Center, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Harrison Township, after a four month illness.

Born Nov. 29, 1905, in Fraser Township, she was a daughter of Blair D. and Della I. Thompson Gillespie.

She was a 1923 alumna of Tarentum High School and a graduate of Indiana Normal School, now Indiana (Pa.) University.

She had been an elementary teacher in the Third Ward School, Tarentum, from 1925 to 1935. She left teaching to raise her family and became a substitute teacher for Har-Brack School District in the 1950s. She returned to full-time teaching in 1961 and taught fifth grade at the Second Ward in the Highlands School District until her retirement in 1971. During her career, she served under five superintendents, A.D. Endsley, Charles Stoops, David Dodds, Robert E. Marshall and Nick Staresinic.

In 1935, she married Richard E. Jones, a ceramic engineer at PPG Research in Creighton. They made their home in Cheswick before moving to Natrona Heights in 1950.

She and her family became active members of Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church, and she served on all boards of the church, deacons, trustees and elders. She also was a circle leader and past president of Women's Christian Fellowship in 1963. She became president of Pittsburgh Presbyterial Society, 1955-56, the women's organization of the Presbyterian Church coordinating the work of the 155 societies with a total membership of 15,000 women in the 135 churches of the Presbytery of Pittsburgh.

Mrs. Jones also was a past president of the Y-Sota Club, a travel club sponsored by Tarentum YMCA. She also was a member of the women's club of Allegheny Valley. For many years, she served on the board of directors of the Allegheny Valley Concert Association. She also was a longtime member of the Tarentum Book Club, the oldest club in the Valley, joining in 1956 and becoming president in 1975.

Following her retirement and for more than 30 years, she spent winters in Sun City, Ariz. She had many interests, including traveling (many countries), cooking, gardening, music (especially piano), religious activities, society meetings and visiting friends and relatives.

Surviving are a son, Wendell E. Jones, M.D., of Harrison Township, with whom she made her home; a daughter, Mrs. Charlotte (J. Michael) Collister of Columbus, Ohio; two grandchildren, Kimberly (Robert) Legge of Chester Springs and Scott E. (Merret) Collister of Cincinnati, Ohio; and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, who died in 1983; and four brothers, William, Raymond, Walter and Marlin Gillespie.

<B>JONES </B>— Friends of Edna G. Jones, who died Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at <B>Duster Funeral Home</B>, 10th Avenue at Corbet Street, Tarentum. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church with the Rev. R. Cameron Malcolm IV officiating. Burial will be at Bull Creek Cemetery, West Deer Township.Donations may be made to Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church.Information also is available at www.dusterfuneralhomeinc.com.