Obituary of Edna Lillian Jones

Edna Lillian Jones (Gray) November 3, 1936 to May 8, 2024

With great sadness we announce the passing of Edna Lillian Jones (Gray) (age 87 years) on May 8, 2024.   The daughter of Harry Gray and Viola Gray (Miller), Edna was a proud fisherman’s daughter with four siblings.  She was also, the loving wife for 65 years of Robert Hector Jones.  Edna is survived by sister, Betty Gray and brother, Glenn Gray.   She was predeceased by sister, Muriel Jones.   Robert and Edna are survived by three sons, Michael (Sherry MacDonald), Patrick (Jane Thorburn) and Brian (Gina MacMillan), seven grandchildren, Christopher, Cody, Nicola, Alysson, Jack, Amy and Nicholas “Nick”, two step-grandchildren, Carmen and Andrew, and one great- grandchild, Isaiah.

Visitation will be on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 2-4 and 6-8 at J. Albert Walker Funeral Home, 149 Herring Cove Road, Halifax.   The funeral service will be held Monday June 3rd at 10 AM at Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Ave, Halifax.   Interment at St. John’s Cemetery, 6 Bedford Highway, after the reception at 12:30pm.

Our families announce and mourn the loss of our loving parents, Robert and Edna Jones, who passed together on May 8, 2024.   We also celebrate their life together and here is a brief history of the 75 years they knew each other.

Mom and Dad met 75 years ago, as teenagers, in the quiet little fishing community of Bald Rock, where Mom was raised, 20 miles from Halifax.  Dad, from a close-knit North End Halifax family of 13 children, and Mom from a similar family of 4 children.   Over the next ten years they fell in love and when timing and finances aligned, they got married.  As with most married couples, children came their way and before long 3 boys had filled out the family group. The years that followed were good years with time spent in the campgrounds in Nova Scotia and other spots in the Maritimes.  But their favorite place to spend time was Bald Rock.  With a brother’s camp on one side of their little plot of land, and a sister’s camp on the other side as well as the original house of Mom’s parents across the narrow dirt road.  Time there was often filled with the sounds of laughter, campfires and the clanging of horseshoes.  There were a few different residences over the years and probably the most impactful place was in the north end of Halifax.  As is often the case with good

people, they made good friends.  The kind of friends that last a lifetime and the North End gang was just that.  Eventually there was a house purchase and the family moved out of the north end and to a house close to Windsor Street. The boys got older, Mom went back to work and life carried on.  Retirement opened up new opportunities.   The house in town was sold, a nice little home was built on the plot overlooking the sea and the next chapter began.  The little house gave them 20 years of joy surrounded often by children, grandchildren, family and friends. Trips south in the winter and trips to Europe, Alaska and Panama gave them chances to make new friends that they kept for years.  As age crept up and the realities of keeping up the house set in, the decision to move into town was made.   A great apartment was found and the gatherings of family, and friends continued in a new location.  At the end, illness came to both and the end of the journey could be seen.   As they did for most of their lives, Mom and Dad took their final walk side by side holding hands. They expressed their love for each and went to sleep.

We, the family, would like to gratefully thank all of our extended family for stepping in to help, as well the care workers from Northwood, Parkwood and the VON for making our parents as comfortable as possible during their last weeks.

Visitation will be on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 2-4 and 6-8 at J. Albert Walker Funeral Home, 149 Herring Cove Road, Halifax.  Funeral service will be held on Monday, June 3, 2024 at 10AM from Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax, with a reception to follow in church hall.  Interment will take place at 12:30 PM at St. John’s Cemetery, 6 Bedford Highway.