Berneice Ridenhour Jones

Funeral services for Mrs. Jones will be held 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Horne Memorial United Methodist Church with Reverend Kim Lamb officiating. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery with Joe Barbour, Michael Crabtree, Mayor Jody McLeod, Don McLeod, Brent McLeod and Steve Smith serving as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at the church, prior to the service.

Mrs. Jones was born in Salisbury, North Carolina on April 28, 1931, to the late Charlie Ralph Ridenhour and the late Mary Yarborough Ridenhour. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Blanton Jones; sisters, Lorene Shelor and Helen Goodman; and brothers, Henry Ridenhour and Ralph Ridenhour Jr.

Berneice graduated from Spencer High School in 1949. She attended Pfeiffer Junior College and graduated in 1951. She then attended High Point College and graduated in 1953 with a degree in Music and Early Childhood Education. She received her master’s degree in Public Administration from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina in 1975.

Berneice was a teacher and taught K-3 grades in several counties which included four years in Guilford County, four years in Alamance County, and ten years in Johnston County. She was the principal at Clayton Primary School in Clayton for fifteen years until her retirement in 1986. She was also named Principal of the Year in 1986. This was the same year her son Tracy graduated from Clayton High School, and she had the honor of presenting his diploma to him on stage at his graduation.

While Berneice was attending High Point College she met the love of her life, Blanton, who was also attending the college. After they graduated Blanton spent two years in the Army and was stationed in Germany. When he returned, they married on June 11, 1957, and were together for 48 years until his passing in 2005. Most of the time they were together and were both greatly involved with their family, church, and schools.

Berneice attended Horne Memorial United Methodist Church regularly and was involved in a lot of roles. She taught children’s Sunday school and was superintendent of the children’s department. She and Blanton served as youth counselors. They helped start the JOY Club for older adults. She played piano for the Sunday school openings and for the men’s quartet in which Blanton sang. She sang in the church choir for over fifty years. She served as a member or a leader of most of the church’s committees, including chairman and trustee of Counsel of Ministries, was president of Wesley Service Guild, and President of the Nell Holland Circle several times also serving as vice president, secretary and treasurer. She was president of the United Methodist Women and was a trustee as well. She has read the entire Bible twice.

She loved yard work, reading books, working on crafts such as knitting, quilting, crocheting, and sewing, and cake decorating. She even made her daughter Deanna’s wedding cake and all kinds of cakes for her teachers and church activities. She also enjoyed going to the beach and fishing. She enjoyed watching sports and loved keeping the bracket sheet updated for the NCAA tournaments. If we didn’t know who won a game or who was playing, she could certainly tell us. She also loved to play ping pong and while attending High Point College she won the women’s state championship.

While we will miss our mother so very much, we are at peace knowing she is with our daddy in heaven. What a joyous reunion it must have been for them!

She is survived by her daughter, Deanna Jones Spence (Jeff) and son, Tracy Jones (Tammy); grandchildren, Logan Brooks (Kevin), Brandon Beasley, Jeffrey Spence, and Tyler Spence; great grandchildren, Natalie Brooks, Brayden Spence and Ryder Spence; sister-in-law, Norma Ridenhour, who provided such wonderful care to her at home; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Online condolences may be made to the family at: www.mclaurinatpinecrest.com.

Memorials may be made in Mrs. Jones’ memory to: Horne Memorial United Methodist Church, Clayton, North Carolina or Alzheimer’s Association.

McLaurin Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the Jones family.