Veronica Ronnie or GG Ellen McCarthy Jones

Veronica Ellen Jones was a woman loved and adored by her family and friends. She lovingly touched the lives of everyone she met. She was admired in her many roles as beautiful daughter, endearing sister, faithful friend, loving wife, caring aunt, devoted mother, as well as doting “GG” to her cherished twenty-two grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren. Beyond her own six children Rodney, John, Robert Spencer, Patricia, Allen, and Gwyneth, was a world full of others who lovingly adopted her as their mother and grandmother. From Peter in Germany to Miki in Japan as well as countless others, Veronica touched the world with her positive smile and enduring heart, embracing all whom she met. Such is the legacy of a great lady who spent over ninety-one years spreading her boundless love, and as Veronica noted “had never met a stranger.”

Her life began as Veronica Ellen McCarthy on October 5, 1919, where she was born at her family home on Rosedale Drive in Bronx, New York to her parents Maurice Joseph McCarthy and Ellen Veronica (Hugaboom) McCarthy. She fondly recalled her father working in his study and being one of New York City’s first volunteer firefighters before he worked for the Board of Education. She admired her mother’s thriftiness and generosity, demonstrated by making all of their clothes by hand as well as her feeding strangers who came to their door during the depression era. As a little girl, Ronnie, as she was known to her friends, learned how to speak German from the family across the street that treated her like she was part of the family. She also fondly recalled her family had the first radio of the homes on her block, and all the neighbors would gather in the parlor and porch to listen to the legendary boxing matches. Veronica was one of nine children in her large family including Maurice Jr., Gertrude, William, Helen, Annie, Tom, Hannah, and Winifred.

As a child Veronica loved school and excelled academically, hoping to become a teacher, she later chose to withdraw from high school after her sophomore year to care for her ill younger sister, who she eventually nursed back to health. She remarkably had balanced the demands of school as well as her role as homemaker from the age of twelve, following the untimely death of her mother as the result of a car accident during a family vacation. The admiration of her mother as a role model was the foundation for her becoming an excellent role model not only to her own daughters but also her sons as well, by teaching them how to cook, sew, and clean.

As dedicated as Veronica was to her McCarthy family, she eventually met the man she was destined to marry to begin her own family. Urbon Voyne Jones, an Arkansas farm boy, joined the Navy in 1932. While on leave in New York City, he and a friend went site seeing which led them to the New York Bronx Zoo. It was there he first saw Veronica’s face that launched maybe not a thousand ships but certainly all of his. Veronica’s friend was fond of Urbon's ship mate, but for Urbon, Miss Ronnie strummed at his heart strings. Later that same day they all went to Central Park where the two sailors showed their nautical ways by rowing the girls around the lake.

Urbon’s first visit to Veronica's home was for the traditional McCarthy Sunday twenty- pound roast beef dinner. While, the southern farm boy sailor was use to meat cooked very well done, his future father-in-law sliced off a large portion of the extremely bloody rare beef, and he politely choked it down. During the dinner a friend of Mr. McCarthy’s who joined them, commented on the largest watermelons only grown in Georgia. This friend had always been a chest beater who was always right. When Urbon corrected him that the largest watermelons were grown in Arkansas, his home state, the argument began. Mr. McCarthy went into his library to fetch the almanac. Sure enough the world record for the largest watermelon was grown in Arkansas. Veronica's future husband gained the respect and admiration of her father by besting his nemesis friend.

After several years of corresponding through mail, eighteen year old Veronica eventually exchanged marriage vows with Urbon on January 5, 1938. They were married by a justice of the peace in New York City as witnessed by Veronica's best friend Francis Primo, and her other life long friend Frankie Toomey. Little did they know that fifty years later they would all four celebrate again in San Diego, California, for Urbon and Veronica’s golden wedding anniversary. From that original simple ceremony in New York, began a marriage that continued for sixty-one years and covered tens of thousands of miles as Veronica followed her husband wherever the Navy stationed him. Several of those destinations included Panama as well as Hawaii, when it was still considered just a territory of the United States. Later they lived in the south east in Macon, Georgia, eventually settling in San Diego where Urbon retired as a lieutenant commander. Veronica had stood by and supported her husband during his naval career, creating beautiful warm homes for their family wherever they lived, and graciously entertained the many guests who were drawn to them.

After their marriage in New York, the young couple enjoyed themselves on their honeymoon as the sophisticated city girl embarked on a train ride to Arkansas, with her new husband to visit her new in-laws Charlie and Clara Jones. Her first trip to the South was not only a surprise for her, but also for her new family. The family was expecting a glamorous, night club hopping evening gowned starlet, with a long cigarette holder in one hand, as was portrayed in the movies of those days. On the other hand, she was expecting visions by Norman Rockwell and Piggly Wiggly pink pigs. Despite all their stereotyped expectations, Veronica developed a deep seeded, warm, and genuine relationship that lasted throughout her marriage. Veronica's new mother-in-law, Clara Jones, won her heart with that slow Southern drawl. Besides, Clara had to help protect Veronica from the wild marriage celebrations in town known as chivalries. This first trip to visit her new in-laws’ home included her first ride on a mule and the discovery that pigs weren’t hairless and bright pink with curly tails. She hunted for the first time and found out what an outhouse was like in the middle of the night. Speaking of chivalries, she also had her first taste of moonshine, a distilled whiskey that will knock your socks off.

Veronica's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. Veronica was tenderhearted and sensitive; qualities that served her well in helping nurture her family. During those first years together, she and Urbon lived rather modestly. Their first residence was a small apartment in Washington D. C., while the first house they bought was in Macon, Georgia on Ponce de Leon Circle. With a talent for making friends easily, Veronica was very sociable and could blend without effort into any number of different social groups. Assertive and outgoing, she was easy to know and often demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with the people around her and throughout her life made many, many friends.

Throughout the Navy years the couple made a number of good friends. During the celebration of Urbon and Veronica’s 50th wedding anniversary, their children hosted a grand event by renting out the Harbor House Restaurant on the side of the San Diego Bay where over 400 guests arrived. The guest list included the bride’s maid of honor and their best man in addition to many of their life-long military friends. The ecstatic couple embraced the idea of an anniversary gift their children gave to them, to travel on a cruise together in the Eastern Caribbean following their celebration. Finally, a sea voyage together.

Veronica loved being active in her life and pursued numerous pastimes. One of her trademark talents was crocheting. She crocheted blankets for new born babies, children, friends and others that called her Mom or Grandma. Her blankets have become heirlooms to all who received them. Veronica also enjoyed playing Canasta and Bridge. She and Urbon would play cards often and taught their children how to play. The Jones family card games were very competitive and no quarter was given. Family poker games around the "just cleared" dinner table would rage for hours. In addition, her other favorite pastime was reading novels. She loved to lose herself in a good book.

She and Urbon loved to bowl and participated in many bowling leagues over the years. Even in retirement she found it easy to make new friends while she continued to stay in touch with her old friends faithfully sending annual Christmas cards and birthday cards throughout the year. Some of her closest friends during retirement were made from her bowling league years following Urbon’s passing. She not only developed her game, but made new and dear friends like Buster, Jenny, Jane, and Bob. She continued to bowl weekly even up until just a month and a half prior to her death. Her buddies Buster and Jennie called themselves the Three Musketeers as they had a standing date to eat out together after Tuesday bowling each week and again for lunch every Sunday. These true friends supported one another and enjoyed their frank open relationship. Her friends faithfully visited her during her final days. Veronica surrounded herself with positive, loving, and supportive friends throughout her life as people were drawn to her positive outlook.

Veronica Jones left us on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 11:15 am, on a beautiful sun filled morning with birds chirping and butterflies fluttering outside her window. Veronica passed in a room with purple walls and a pink ribbon in her hair in a peaceful serene environment in the home of her youngest daughter, Gwyneth, surrounded by loved ones and close friends. She was ninety-one years young when she left us to be reunited with her husband Urbon. She was preceded in death by all her brothers and sisters, as well as her husband Urbon and son John. She is survived by her children Rodney Jones, Robert Spencer Jones, Patricia Harrold, Allen Jones, and Gwyneth Kruger. Her legacy includes twenty-two grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren. Services were handled by Funeraria Del Angel Humphrey in Chula Vista. Veronica will be laid to rest next to her husband at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, CA. on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

Veronica Ellen Jones, the matriarch of her family, lived her life fully with love, grace, and pride. Ever fearless, she faced the many challenges and changes that life brought her way. Her secret to how she conducted her life was her gift to be positive, and her choice to forge ahead with a smile and a heart full of love that she never failed to share with others. She proved to be a positive role model for her entire family and all who knew her. She will be greatly missed by those who were privileged to know her, and her strong Irish resilience will fondly be remembered.