Joanne "J.J." Jones

Never one to shy away from hard work, Joanne “J.J.” Jones was a woman of great strength balanced with just the right amount of finesse. She was a dedicated woman of faith who devoted herself to loving others. Joanne instilled within her children the age-old truth that it’s not the things in life that truly make one happy, rather genuine happiness is found in the moments you spend doing what you love, surrounded by those you treasure most. Joanne was gifted with the ability to make others feel at ease, a skill gained through being comfortable in her own skin. Her tapestry of time is colored with many interests, passions, and accomplishments, but it will be her tender heart that will be so dearly missed.

The year 1942 is most often recalled as a year in which our nation was deeply involved in the throes of WWII. Many of our young men set aside their lives in America in order to preserve the fight for the freedoms all Americans still enjoy today. This was a year of great celebration in the family of Paul and Gertrude (Penrose) Uren as they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Joanne, on January 8th. Joanne was born in Ishpeming, Michigan, located in the Upper Peninsula in the middle of mining country, and she in fact remained a true “Yooper” throughout her entire life. Joanne was the oldest of three children in her family and her father worked in the local iron mines while her mother worked at the Newberry Five and Dime store downtown. Their family was poor, but so were the other families around them. Joanne found fun in simple ways such as swimming and fishing in Lake Angeline, an old mine pit. She also enjoyed sledding, skating, and visiting other families in town. One of Joanne’s fondest memories from her childhood occurred while she was in kindergarten. She did not have the traditional birthday treat to share with her classmates on her birthday, but she was delightfully surprised when her father brought cupcakes for everyone that very afternoon.

When she was a bit older, Joanne’s family moved to National Mine, a smaller town located on the edge of the giant iron mines. She attended local schools where she was an excellent student who loved to read. Because she went to a smaller school, Joanne became involved in many activities such as playing percussion in the high school band. She also enjoyed visiting “Suicide Hill,” a large ski jump facility where even Olympians were known to be seen on occasion.

Soon after she graduated from high school in 1960, Joanne went out and bought herself a brand new Corvair, which led to a lifelong passion for cars. She worked as a secretary at both the National Mine School and at Northern Michigan University. After working in a number of other administrative positions, Joanne eventually moved to Lansing where she had her heart set on working at Michigan State University. After she turned down one position there, the interviewer was so impressed by Joanne that he led her to another position within the University. Shortly thereafter, she became pregnant with her youngest son. Joanne spent over 35 years at Michigan State where she loved not only her job, but her co-workers and of course, Spartan sports. The lunchtime bridge games among her co-workers were legendary around the workplace. By the time she retired, Joanne was working as a financial analyst in the office of the vice president.

Throughout the years, Joanne primarily raised her three children alone and did whatever was needed in order to provide for them. Money was tight, but they always managed. Christmas time was a time to lavish her children with gifts, yet she instilled within her children that they didn’t need much to be happy. They were a close-knit group, and her children always stood up for one another. Whenever they traveled back to the Upper Peninsula, she would always have to stop in her favorite places, and pasties, a pot-pie without the “pot,” were always on her agenda as well. On one occasion, Joanne drove her children to Cedar Point only to sit on a bench all day while they enjoyed themselves. Then she turned around and drove them back home at the end of the day - all in the name of fun.

Over the years, Joanne pursued a variety of interests. She was especially passionate about Michigan State basketball. Joanne even traveled to away games and would never schedule anything during a game. Those who knew her knew to only call her at half-time and if there was a birthday party during a game, there had better be a television there! Joanne was thrilled when her beloved Spartans won the NCAA Title in 1979. She and a few of her Michigan State University friends were known as the “cookies ladies” to the basketball team. Additionally, Joanne was an expert at completing jigsaw puzzles, and always wanted her grandchildren to have mind strengthening games and toys. Her love for cars remained, and her most recent love was for a string of Camaros. She was also a fan of stock car racing, and she especially enjoyed following the NASCAR circuit. Joanne’s faith was a cornerstone in her life. She was also a member of Mt. Hope United Methodist Church.

When reflecting on her own life, Joanne Jones once said, “For a little girl from National Mine, she had come a long way,” and those who knew her would certainly agree. She was a devoted mother who was always there for her children, ready to share a long conversation on the phone with her soothing voice that always calmed their souls. Joanne made the most of each day she was given even though life was not always easy for her. Some will miss her for her insatiable love for the Spartans while others will miss her sparkling personality. However, all who knew Joanne will miss her warm heart and her fun-loving spirit that brought so much life to the world around her.

Joanne L. “ J.J.” Jones of Potterville, MI died unexpectedly Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Joanne’s family includes her daughter, Jodi (Bob Patterson) Dally; sons, Jeff (Kendra) Jones, Leary (Dana) Jones, Jr.; grandchildren, Corey Kelly, Jacob, Joshua, Jeremy, Marisa and Jordan Jones; sister, Betty (Al) Finney; and brother, Paul (Billye) Uren. Joanne was preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Alex Dally. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 16, 2010 at Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns with the Rev. David Hudgens officiating. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the charity of the family’s choice.