Barbara Jean Jones
Barbara Jean Jones, 80, formerly of Chattanooga, passed away on Sunday, December 17, 2023, in a Nashville, Tennessee hospital.
She was born on Sept. 26, 1943, to Willie Jones and Jeraline T. Jones in Chattanooga. Barbara graduated from Howard High School in 1961 and received an associate's degree from Chattanooga State University. She then made her move to Nashville to study at Tennessee State University. Barbara lived in Nashville for several years and was an active member of Victory Church in there. She devoted her life to inspiring the next generation of students, and worked at Tennessee State University (TSU) for several years. After retiring from TSU, she enjoyed being in the real estate market, owned several rental homes, and was a real estate broker. She later moved back to Chattanooga to take care of her mother until she passed away in 2014. Barbara then moved back to Nashville, where she lived out the remainder of her days. Throughout her life, Barbara was a very generous person and was known to help out her family and friends regularly. She enjoyed traveling and being around her family and friends, Marva and Julius Powell, Johnnie Mae Davis, and Sylvia Spriggs.
Barbara was preceded in death by her grandmother, Amanda Speight; her father, Willie Jones; her mother, Jeraline T. Jones; her sister, Elma Delores Stearns; and niece, Jasmine Stearns Patton.
She is survived by her sister, Samella Jones; her nephew and niece, Charles (Kimberly) Stearns, Jr. of Nashville and Monica (Terrance) Moton of Chattanooga; her great-nephews and great-nieces, Brandi Carpenter of Chattanooga, Chad Stearns of Nashville, Timothy Jordan Carpenter of Chattanooga, Carly Stearns and Christina Stearns, both of Nashville.
Barbara will lie in state on Friday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. at Taylor Funeral Home.
Funeral services will follow at noon in the chapel. Burial will be in Forest Hills Cemetery.