Gail Ellen Johnson Jones

RALEIGH – Gail Ellen Johnson Jones, 81, passed away Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Transitions Hospice in Raleigh, surrounded by her family.

Gail was born on October 19, 1942, in Mecklenburg County, the daughter of Edwin Riley Johnson and Marjorie Ketchum Johnson. During World War II, Gail's father was in the Army Air Corp where unfortunately, he lost his life in a plane crash in 1944. After the war, Gail's mother remarried to Claude G. Wilson, Jr. of Belmont, NC. Claude and Marge had four more children, three girls and finally, a boy. Gail loved them all and she spent a lot of time babysitting for them, as she was older. Gail also had a number of cousins by her father’s brothers. Her favorite cousin was Carolyn Johnson. She and Gail were very close and were like sisters.

Gail attended Belmont High School where she was voted Most Wittiest and was elected to be Miss DAR. She achieved a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts/Textile Design from the Women's College of the University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 1964. Gail came to Raleigh to seek employment and to be close to her steady boyfriend and future husband. In 1965, Gail and William C. Jones, Jr. were married on November 27th in Mt. Holly, NC at the Episcopal Church. In March of 1972, Bill bought a house his construction company had taken in on trade and he and Gail moved in to where they have lived ever since. In June, their son, Edwin Riley Jones, was born.

Gail worked in insurance with various companies and agencies in Raleigh. The one she liked best was working for Dottie Streb at Delta Insurance Co. This job became like family and Gail enjoyed the years there immensely. Gail eventually went to work for DHR Marketing and enjoyed several years there before retiring in her early seventies.

Gail was an extremely talented person. She cooked delicious meals, sewed, made some of her own clothes, crocheted, knitted,  painted, sang, and enjoyed gardening and fishing with her husband Bill. Bill and Gail attended Tabernacle Baptist Church where Gail sang on the Church's Living Christmas Tree downtown and assisted her husband on many church projects, as he was on the Buildings & Grounds Committee. She was involved in a number of things with the church and if anybody had a new baby, Gail would present the baby with a handmade baby blanket.

Gail was preceded in death by her father, Edwin Riley Johnson; mother, Marjorie Wilson; and her stepfather, Claude G. Wilson, Jr.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, William Calvin “Bill” Jones, Jr.; son, Edwin Riley Jones and wife, Dori; granddaughters, Sara Jones and Katie Jones; sisters, Claudia Wilson Crist and husband, Will, Carol Wilson Jolliff and husband, Reid, and Lisa Wilson Herron; brother, Claude G. Wilson, III and wife, Teri; along with a host of extended family and church family.

A graveside service will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, with the Rev. Dane Hadley officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Gail’s memory to Tabernacle Baptist Church: 8304 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613.

Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com