Mary Ann Blackburn Jones

She was born May 13, 1942 to the late Robert Ford Blackburn and Sara Church Blackburn in Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Birmingham as a young girl. She attended Brooke Hill School and graduated in 1960. After a year at Brenau College, Mary Ann transferred to Auburn University where she met the love of her life. After graduating with a degree in Education, she married Bill Jones on December 28, 1964, and taught special education at Birmingham City Schools.

As a girl, Mary Ann was a lover of horses and an avid rider. Always up for an adventure, her passions included tennis, snow skiing, watching Auburn football, reading, traveling, enjoying the company of good friends and spending time at the beach.

Mary Ann took up golf when she was 40, and loved to play with her family and friends. She was an active member of Canterbury United Methodist Church Crawford Owen Sunday School Class, Alter Guild, the Southern Seniors, Vestavia Country Club and Shoal Creek Country Club Ladies Golf Associations. Mary Ann was also past member of the Ballet Women’s Committee, the Ballet Guild, The Discovery Place Volunteer Guild (past fundraising chair) and was a past chair of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s Decorator ShowHouse. She volunteered at the PGA Championship, the US Amateur and US Junior Amateur at Shoal Creek Golf Club. She was active in Antiquarians, the Daughters of the American Revolution and bridge clubs at both Shoal Creek Country Club and Vestavia Country Club.

Mary Ann is survived by her beloved husband of almost 55 years, William Franklin Jones, III, sisters Jane Blackburn Busbee of Fernandina Beach, FL and Elizabeth "Betty" Blackburn Gibson (Earl Morrow Gibson), two daughters, Cassandra Jones Walker (Robert Emmett Walker, IV) and Valerie Jones Ramsbacher (Ronald Hugh Ramsbacher) and five grandchildren, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Church Walker, Sarah Frances Walker, Robert Emmett Walker, V, Katherine Ford Ramsbacher and William Robert “Reid” Ramsbacher.

The family will receive friends on December 28th in the church parlor of Canterbury United Methodist Church beginning at 10 a.m. with a celebration of life following in the sanctuary at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, friends are welcome to send donations to the Salvation Army or Canterbury United Methodist Church.