Josephine Neil Jones

Josephine Neil Jones, age 94, left this life peacefully on July 9, 2011 at Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community in Charleston, SC.  A Memorial service will be held at the French Huguenot Church, Queen Street, Charleston, SC on Sunday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m.  A graveside service and burial will be at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville, TN on Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 a.m. J. Henry Stuhr Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements in South Carolina, and Roesch Patton Austin Bracey & Charlton is in charge of arrangements in Tennessee.

Mrs. Jones was born in Nashville, TN and was the daughter of the late State Supreme Court Chief Justice Albert Bramlett Neil and the late Josephine Pendleton Neil.  She was preceded in death by her brother A.B. Neil Jr. and sister Jane Neil Jackson.  She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church since June 26, 1926.  She was a graduate of the Ward-Belmont school, and received a BS and Masters in Library Science from George Peabody College in Nashville.  She devoted 31 years in library science to the Armed Forces, and held Command positions with the Army before moving to Charleston in 1961 to join the Naval Library Service.    Mrs. Jones was the first Chief Librarian of Thayer U.S. Army Hospital (now the VA) in Nashville during World War II, followed by Command Library positions at U.S. Army Headquarters in Antilles, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bremerhaven Port of Embarkation, Heidelburg, and Stuttgart.    She retired as District Librarian for the 6^th Naval District.  She was awarded the Meritorious Achievement Citation Award, the highest honor given by the American Library Association to a Librarian serving in the Armed Forces.  She was President of the South Carolina Librarian Association and the Armed Forces section of the American Library Association.  In 1978 she married the late Dr. Henry Parker Jones, with whom she shared many wonderful years in Charleston and traveling around the world.  She was active in the Charleston community, serving for many years as a docent for the French Huguenot Church as well as numerous museums and historical homes and plantations.  Mrs. Jones was a member of Women in Military Service for America, Garden Club of Charleston, Colonial Dames of America, U.S. Daughters of 1812, Daughters of Colonial Wars, Descendants of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, Jamestowne Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (Rebecca Motte Chapter), National Society of New England Women, National Society of Colonial Dames of the XVIIth Century, National Society of the Daughters of Founders & Patriots of America, Daughters of American Colonists, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and First Families of Massachusetts.  She is listed in Who's Who in Library Service, Who's Who in American Women, and World Who's Who of Women.

 Survivors include her sister-in-law, Laddie Harton Neil; nephews Albert Bramlett "Bram" Neil III (Beth), of Lebanon, TN, John Harton Neil (Ruth), of Greenville, SC; nieces Nancy Neil Adcock (Dennis), of Nebo, NC, Ellen Jackson and June Jackson Hartley (Kevin) of Kerrville, TX, and Josephine Pendleton (nee Jackson) (David) of Waco, TX; step-daughter Bonny Jones Gilbert (Jan), of Savannah, GA; step-grandson, Jan Parker Gilbert (Melissa), of Marietta, GA; step-great-granddaughters Kiely and Maggie Gilbert; and several great-nephews and grand-nieces. 

 In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church in Nashville, TN, the French Huguenot Church of Charleston, SC, or the charity of one's choice.