Sylvia "Petie" Rodgers Jones

Sylvia “Petie” Jones was born in West Virginia on July 20th, 1937. She was the first child of Frank and Roberta Patton Rodgers of Greenbrier County and grew up on a farm with her parents and 5 siblings. In her 20s, she moved to Hampton, Virginia, and began working in Civil Service. While there, she met John Thornton Lawler, who was attending the Naval Academy, and they married in 1959. After his graduation, they began traveling for his military service – living in Beeville Texas, Key West and Pensacola Florida, and eventually San Diego California. Her husband John was selected for the test pilot program and had been deep selected for the space program while at the Naval Academy. During this time, Sylvia continued working in Civil Service, most memorably at NASA, in the early days of the space program.

Their daughter, Jennifer, was born in San Diego, and when John was assigned to a carrier going to Japan, Sylvia’s sense of adventure led her to “follow the ship” with her new baby. Sadly, John died in a military plane crash off the San Diego coast in 1964. As a young widow with a small child, Sylvia worked at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, did “powder puff” car racing, began painting and worked as a catalogue and runway model in San Diego.

In 1969, she married Samuel Roy Jones, a naval pilot and commercial pilot for Braniff Airlines, and they moved to Dallas Texas. In 1975, their son Patton was born and, shortly thereafter, Sam was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer. For the next several years, Sylvia focused on helping Sam fight his disease, raising her children and local volunteering (co-leading Camp Fire Girls, docent at Dallas Museum of Art, Bible Study and Garden Club member, and Cub Scout den mom/Boy Scout mom). Unfortunately, Sam passed away in 1981.

After Sam’s death, Sylvia began working at and later managing The Rosedale House, a gift shop featuring folk art. While there, she developed relationships with many artists and customers. Eventually, this led her to start her own business as a commercial and residential interior designer. For many years, she worked all over the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, but primarily in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow area.

Sylvia “Petie” Jones, passed away December 4th, 2018, surrounded by her family in Dallas, TX, from complications related to Alzheimer’s and Cancer. She will be missed by her children, Jennifer Lawler Corrigan and Rodgers Patton Jones, her son-in-law John Corrigan, Patton’s fiancé Gina Thomas, her niece Hollee Ganner, and her grandchildren Joseph and James Corrigan. She was preceded in death by her parents and survived by her dearly loved siblings: Gaye Sizemore, Ginger Rodgers, John Rodgers, Robert Rodgers and Richee Rodgers, as well as their spouses, many nieces and nephews and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, tribute donations may also be made to:

Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.mem.com/edc/b47740ef-5114-46c9-bec4-af8493b86782/YW5kcmV3Lm11bGxlbkBkaWduaXR5bWVtb3JpYWwuY29t or to

Lone Star Labrador Rescue at https://www.lonestarlabrescue.org/howtohelp.html