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Betty Jones, who created magic in the kitchen and a ‘do right’ home, dies of covid-19 Betty Jones, who created magic in the kitchen and a ‘do right’ home, dies of covid-19
(about 5 hours later)
Betty Jane Jones was the kind of cook who could draw her children inside just by the smells. When she took her bread pudding to a cookout, it never made it past the front door. The host would meet her and grab it, keeping it hidden for a select few.Betty Jane Jones was the kind of cook who could draw her children inside just by the smells. When she took her bread pudding to a cookout, it never made it past the front door. The host would meet her and grab it, keeping it hidden for a select few.
She grew up as one of 10 children whose parents were deaf. She learned to cook from her mother, watching and imitating, with no words spoken and nothing written.She grew up as one of 10 children whose parents were deaf. She learned to cook from her mother, watching and imitating, with no words spoken and nothing written.
“It’s how they bonded,” said her daughter, Delores Jones.“It’s how they bonded,” said her daughter, Delores Jones.
Their house in Northeast Washington was always full of people, with deaf friends of her parents frequently visiting. Neighbors would stop by, and if her mother had something on the stove, they’d stick around.Their house in Northeast Washington was always full of people, with deaf friends of her parents frequently visiting. Neighbors would stop by, and if her mother had something on the stove, they’d stick around.
Betty died April 8 of covid-19 at the age of 81. Just a month earlier, she was showing her oldest daughter how she made candied yams. She taught her seven children the basics, but they couldn’t re-create her dishes on their own.Betty died April 8 of covid-19 at the age of 81. Just a month earlier, she was showing her oldest daughter how she made candied yams. She taught her seven children the basics, but they couldn’t re-create her dishes on their own.
You had to be in the kitchen with her.You had to be in the kitchen with her.
“I could do it if I went to her house and let her walk me through it,” said Donna Thomas, her firstborn child. “She couldn’t tell you what to do if you weren’t physically there. ‘Yeah, that’s the right amount.’ ”“I could do it if I went to her house and let her walk me through it,” said Donna Thomas, her firstborn child. “She couldn’t tell you what to do if you weren’t physically there. ‘Yeah, that’s the right amount.’ ”
Her macaroni and cheese, potato salad, fried chicken and cakes were famous among family and friends. They couldn’t explain what made them so delicious.Her macaroni and cheese, potato salad, fried chicken and cakes were famous among family and friends. They couldn’t explain what made them so delicious.
“She cut the vegetables so fine that you wouldn’t know what else was in that potato salad,” said Delores.“She cut the vegetables so fine that you wouldn’t know what else was in that potato salad,” said Delores.
Granddaughter Brittany Jones wanted to learn how to make her pepper steak and onions and told her grandmother, “ ‘I will go to the store and get precut onions, Granny-Girl.’ That’s what I call her. ‘No, you bring those over here.’ She showed me all the steps. I had to record her and I learned that there’s a distinct way she cuts them.”Granddaughter Brittany Jones wanted to learn how to make her pepper steak and onions and told her grandmother, “ ‘I will go to the store and get precut onions, Granny-Girl.’ That’s what I call her. ‘No, you bring those over here.’ She showed me all the steps. I had to record her and I learned that there’s a distinct way she cuts them.”
Betty was 16 when she married George C. Jones, who was 27. They met at a card game — bid whist — at a friend’s house and married in January 1955. Their family started with a daughter, then five boys before another daughter. George worked at the U.S. Geological Survey, and nights and weekends at the A & P in the produce department. Betty cooked and washed and raised the children with what her brother, Jerome Simmons, called her “do the right thing type attitude. That’s the way she was.” Betty was 16 when she married George C. Jones, who was 27. They met at a card game — bid whist — at a friend’s house and married in January 1955. Their family started with a daughter, then five boys before another daughter. George worked at the U.S. Geological Survey, and nights and weekends at the A&P in the produce department. Betty cooked and washed and raised the children with what her brother, Jerome Simmons, called her “do the right thing type attitude. That’s the way she was.”
Those we have lost to the coronavirus in Virginia, Maryland and D.C.Those we have lost to the coronavirus in Virginia, Maryland and D.C.
Simmons, the youngest child of William and Serena Simmons, was close to his sister Betty, because she had stepped in, sometimes filling the role as a mother for him because a lot of people could not communicate with their parents. When he had to have teeth removed at Children’s Hospital, “She took me there. And when I woke up from the anesthesia, my mouth all bloody, upset and scared, there she was. Betty was there.Simmons, the youngest child of William and Serena Simmons, was close to his sister Betty, because she had stepped in, sometimes filling the role as a mother for him because a lot of people could not communicate with their parents. When he had to have teeth removed at Children’s Hospital, “She took me there. And when I woke up from the anesthesia, my mouth all bloody, upset and scared, there she was. Betty was there.
“As I got older and became a Cub Scout, she was there. She was doing all the things that maybe my mother couldn’t do or say. She was there. She did those things.”“As I got older and became a Cub Scout, she was there. She was doing all the things that maybe my mother couldn’t do or say. She was there. She did those things.”
He said that she thought that “if you’re not doing the right thing, there are repercussions. She was a right-sided person. You gotta do right or else.”He said that she thought that “if you’re not doing the right thing, there are repercussions. She was a right-sided person. You gotta do right or else.”
The “or else” is what every one of the children can describe vividly. The power of the switch is what some of them called it. She made them go out and get the switch she would use on them, and they knew better than to bring back a twig.The “or else” is what every one of the children can describe vividly. The power of the switch is what some of them called it. She made them go out and get the switch she would use on them, and they knew better than to bring back a twig.
For more than 50 years, Betty was a formidable presence in her block on Birchleaf Avenue in the Holly Park area of Seat Pleasant, where they moved in the mid-1960s. In the years the children were at home, Holly Park had baseball teams, basketball games, games of dice; everyone went to the park at the end of Birchleaf. Later, she kept an eye out for trouble, standing at her gate, looking up and down the street.For more than 50 years, Betty was a formidable presence in her block on Birchleaf Avenue in the Holly Park area of Seat Pleasant, where they moved in the mid-1960s. In the years the children were at home, Holly Park had baseball teams, basketball games, games of dice; everyone went to the park at the end of Birchleaf. Later, she kept an eye out for trouble, standing at her gate, looking up and down the street.
Once, when her grandson’s friend, Kelly Green, strolled down the street toward the park and gave her a friendly, “Hey Grandma, how you doing?” She turned to him and said sharply, “Where’re you going? Don’t you go down there. Police are down there.” He looked at her and did the only thing he could do. He halted and went around back to find her son.Once, when her grandson’s friend, Kelly Green, strolled down the street toward the park and gave her a friendly, “Hey Grandma, how you doing?” She turned to him and said sharply, “Where’re you going? Don’t you go down there. Police are down there.” He looked at her and did the only thing he could do. He halted and went around back to find her son.
In a videotaped tribute, he described her as a small, fiery woman with freckles who loved to play the lottery and to gamble.In a videotaped tribute, he described her as a small, fiery woman with freckles who loved to play the lottery and to gamble.
And that’s how she caught the novel coronavirus. She took a bus trip with a friend on March 14 to a casino in Delaware. Her daughter, Donna, told her she probably shouldn’t go because of the virus. Betty said she would think about it. “The day of the trip, I called over to her house and asked my brother, did she go? She did.”And that’s how she caught the novel coronavirus. She took a bus trip with a friend on March 14 to a casino in Delaware. Her daughter, Donna, told her she probably shouldn’t go because of the virus. Betty said she would think about it. “The day of the trip, I called over to her house and asked my brother, did she go? She did.”
Has someone close to you died of covid-19? Share your story with The Washington Post Has someone close to you died of covid-19? Share your story with The Washington Post.
They didn’t know she was sick at first, but she started lying in bed during the day and didn’t have an appetite. She felt tired. She didn’t want to see a doctor, said she would give it a few more days.They didn’t know she was sick at first, but she started lying in bed during the day and didn’t have an appetite. She felt tired. She didn’t want to see a doctor, said she would give it a few more days.
On April 2 she went to Anne Arundel Medical Center by ambulance. On April 8, six of her children and her brother came to her bedside, two at a time. A son had just recovered from covid-19 and stayed home. Her husband of 63 years had died two years before. On April 2, she went to Anne Arundel Medical Center by ambulance. On April 8, six of her children and her brother came to her bedside, two at a time. A son had just recovered from covid-19 and stayed home. Her husband of 63 years had died two years before.
A daughter played “Victory” by Yolanda Adams for her mother, bringing a big smile. A son did FaceTime for the grandchildren, who could not be there, and she waved to them. Thirty minutes after her children left, she was gone.A daughter played “Victory” by Yolanda Adams for her mother, bringing a big smile. A son did FaceTime for the grandchildren, who could not be there, and she waved to them. Thirty minutes after her children left, she was gone.
Only 10 people could be at the Pope Funeral Home service in Forestville on April 18: the seven children — Donna, George Jr., Tyrone, William, Michael, Jeffery and Delores — her surviving brother Jerome Simmons, the Rev. Squire J. Newsome III, the pastor of Greater Beulah Baptist Church, and the musician Anthony Flowers. Granddaughter Donte Bulley couldn’t come and do the praise dance she had done for her other grandparents, so her husband filmed her outside their Crofton, Md. apartment complex as she danced to “Gracefully Broken,” performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. They posted the video online.. Only 10 people could be at the Pope Funeral Home service in Forestville on April 18: the seven children — Donna, George Jr., Tyrone, William, Michael, Jeffery and Delores — her surviving brother Jerome Simmons, the Rev. Squire J. Newsome III, the pastor of Greater Beulah Baptist Church, and the musician Anthony Flowers. Granddaughter Donte Bulley couldn’t come and do the praise dance she had done for her other grandparents, so her husband filmed her outside their Crofton, Md. apartment complex as she danced to “Gracefully Broken,” performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. They posted the video online.
About 25 to 30 cars lined up at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Suitland, Md., and people stood by them and watched from a distance while the family members buried Betty Jones.About 25 to 30 cars lined up at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Suitland, Md., and people stood by them and watched from a distance while the family members buried Betty Jones.