Phyllis Aurelle Jones

Phyllis Aurelle White Jones, Mammaw to her grandchildren, great-grands, and many others, went to her heavenly home Sunday morning, October 11, 2026, surrounded by her family.

She was born in Dalton, Georgia to Ben Newton White, Jr. and Henrietta Webb White on August 29, 1942. She grew up in Dalton and Rome, Georgia and was the oldest of six children. She maintained their relationships by traveling together every summer, family reunions at the beach each year, and catching up in their weekly Zoom meetings. Spending much time with her grandparents gave her the opportunity to laugh and play with many cousins she adored.  She moved to Newton Grove her senior year in high school. She soon met and married the love of her life, Bernie Jones, who preceded her in death in 2024. Phyllis was a loving and supportive wife through Bernie’s military service during their early marriage. They settled at the Jones homeplace and she helped him with paperwork throughout his self-employed tool business until he retired. Bernie and Phyllis not only built a beautiful family together, but they also served their church and community hand in hand.

One of her fondest memories of childhood was when her family and a few others started a church in an old turkey house when she was twelve years old. She and another friend took turns playing piano for the services. Carolyn Baptist Church in Dalton, GA is still a thriving church.

She was a longtime member of Hopewell Methodist Church near Newton Grove where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and VBS, and served on many committees over the years. She enjoyed playing the piano and singing whenever she could.

Phyllis was also an active member of the Vann Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department where she was a charter member and EMT for the medic program and was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary. She supported the fire department from the beginning and helped organize the first meeting in 1970.

Beyond her love for family and her dedication to volunteering, she found joy through painting. Her artistic talent was a special part of who she was and she touched many lives by sharing her beautiful artwork with others. Each painting became more than a piece of art; it was a lasting piece of her, a reminder of her kindness, her creativity, and the love she shared so freely.

Phyllis loved staying home with her children when they were young and spent every summer canning and freezing vegetables with her mother-in-law, Grace Jones, from their large garden. Her homemade pickles were the best! She loved cooking and decorating cakes.  She shared the kitchen and her home with Granny Jones, whom she loved very much.

Before starting a family she worked as a bank teller, and when her children were school-aged, she worked as a teacher assistant at Hobbton Elementary School and Starnet facilitator and bookkeeper at Hobbton High School. She loved working with students of all ages and maintained relationships with many of them over the years.

She is survived by her three children: Karen Tyler and husband Jeff, Kimberly Kemp and husband Ramey, and Jamey Jones and wife Natalie; eight grandchildren: Megan Harper and husband TJ, Ashley Agner and husband Daniel, Reid Tyler and wife Michaela, Madison Marley and husband Kendall, Ray Kemp and wife Ashlyn, Kevin Kemp, Kaylee Hovey and husband Pryce, and Emily Kemp and friend Trevor Moore; and nine great-grandchildren: Gentry Westbrook, Mattie Jo Harper, Charlotte Rico, Annie Westbrook, Joshua Harper, Jensen Agner, Boone Agner,  Charlie Tyler, and Amelia Marley; her sisters Becky Brown, and Shelly Sapp and husband Ron; and her brothers, Cullen White, Doug White and wife Sherrie, and Ben White and wife Eva; and many wonderful nieces and nephews on both the White and Jones sides of the family.

In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by her infant brother and her grandson-in-law Brandon Westbrook.

The family would like to thank many family and friends for their love and prayers.  We deeply appreciate the staff at Harnett Woods Nursing Center and Liberty Hospice for their excellent care and support.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vann Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, Hopewell Methodist Church, or Pa Bernie and Mammaw’s Cross Ministry (contact Jamey & Natalie Jones).

Visitation will be on Wednesday, October 14, 6-8 pm at Dunn Funeral Home in Newton Grove and other times at the home of Jeff and Karen Tyler. Her Celebration of Life service will be held at Hopewell Methodist Church at 11am on Thursday, October 15. The Reverend Richard Vaughan will be officiating.