VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Shirley Mae Earley Jones, age 81, formerly of Ahoskie, passed away on December 27, 2016 at the home of her daughter in Virginia Beach.

Mrs. Jones was born in Harrellsville, Hertford County, NC on November 5, 1935, a daughter of the late Herman Thomas and Ruby Perry Earley.  Shirley was a graduate of Harrellsville High School and a homemaker.  She enjoyed and was a talented quilter, and loved being around her grandchildren and great grandchildren because there wasn’t a child that she didn’t love.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Donald Oakey Jones; a grandson, Jimmy Sager; brothers, Melvin Earley, Edward Earley, Jimmy Earley, Marion Earley, and Herman Earley; and sisters-in-law Mertice Earley, Linda Earley, Brenda Earley, Bruce Anne Martin, and Judy Jones.

Left to cherish her memory is her two daughters, Donna Jones Schweitzer and husband, Mark of Kingsland, GA, and Debbie Jones McGanty and husband, Robert of Virginia Beach, VA; her grandchildren, Anthony Pethtel and wife, Bernadette of Phoenix, AZ, Christina Pethtel Hutchinson and husband, Gary of Kingsland, GA, Donald Thomas Pethtel and wife, Melissa of Kingsland, GA, Daryl Sager and wife, Amanda of El Dorado, CA, Chrystal Sager of Carthage, TN, and Nathan McGanty and wife, Jessica of Chesapeake, VA; and fourteen great grandchildren. Also surviving is her sister, Ann Earley Ellis and husband, Sonny of Harrellsville, NC; and brother, Frederick Earley of Conway, NC, sisters-in-law Virginia Earley of South Norfolk, VA, Betty Ann Earley of Harrellsville, NC, Marita Earley of Gates County, NC, and Barbara Jean Baldwin and husband, Skip of TN; and brothers-in-law, Bernie Jones and wife Aileen, and J.D. Jones of Ahoskie.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 29, 2016, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service, Ahoskie, NC.

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, December 30, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Powellsville Baptist Church, Powellsville, NC, with Rev. Jim Hopkins, officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens, Ahoskie.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to directly to Powellsville Baptist Church, Holly Grove Baptist Church or charity of one’s choice, or you may donate online by visiting www.tmcfunding.com/search, type Shirley Jones

Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service – Ahoskie Chapel is handling the arrangements for the Jones family and online condolences can be directed to the family by visiting www.garrettsykesfs.com.