LaEtna B. Jones

LaEtna (Billie) McNeil Jones was born in Natchez, Mississippi on May 5, 1943 to parents Luther McNeil and LaEtna Gaylor McNeil and went to be with Our Lord on June 4, 2023.  

She attended Prince Street Elementary School.  Later, she attended and  graduated from Sadie V. Thompson High School in 1960.  While in high school, Billie participated in band, glee club and the dance group.  She received her early Christian training in her home and held membership in the St. James AME Church in Cannonburg, MS but she often attended Zion Chapel AME Church, in Natchez.

After graduation, she moved to Roxbury, Massachusetts to live with her aunt, Mattiel and enrolled in business school and also worked as a bookkeeper for a dentist.  She met and married Theodis Jones, Jr of Pine Bluff, AK in 1961, a union that would last until his passing in 2015.  While living in Massachusetts they had 3 sons, — Michael L of Lowell MA, Kenneth L of Hudson NH, Phillip C of Manchester NH.  Later they would move down to Fayetteville, NC where their daughter Sandra D (Jones) Holguin of Albuquerque NM was born.

In 1971 Theodis retired from the Air Force and the family moved to Billerica, MA where they would raise their children and several grand-children to see them graduate from high school and mature into adult-hood.  During that time Billie worked at Mitre in Bedford MA.  She later studied hair care and after several years in the field she opened her own hair care business.  In 2005 Billie and Ted retired to Albuquerque, NM.

Throughout her entire life she had a strong Christian faith.  She was an avid reader, detective stories being her favorite. She also enjoyed board games and crocheting.  She was a kind and loving person. She was always willing to help whenever needed.  She will be sorely missed by those who loved her.

She is predeceased by her parents, her aunts Mattiel, Raenette and uncle Hurley Fitzgerald. 

She is survived by one sister, Annabelle Marie Crockett; niece, Dearie Marie Crockett and nephew Sean Crockett. Ten grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and her beloved son-in-law, Phillip Holguin who assisted in her care.