Rejoice with the family and friends of Nathalie Averett Jones as they announce her earthly death on June 21, 2015. After 17 years of patiently waiting, Nathalie Averett Jones has rejoined her beloved husband Robert Hoyt Jones. The couple currently resides in heaven. In spite of the delay in joining “the Chief” Mrs. J. retained her sweet disposition and was a blessing to all who knew her. Nathalie’s life speaks for itself. She was the epitome of a Christian woman, a loving wife and mother. Proverbs 31 could have been written about her. She was born July 27, 1925 in Flat Creek, Alabama, cherished middle daughter of Clara Austin Mastin and Edward Boyle Averett and sister of Clara Austin Averett RobesonEd Robeson III of Filbert, SC; Edward Boyle Averett, Jr.Charlotte of Chattanooga, TN. and Mary Lee Averett PowellBen of Chickamauga, GA. There are intangible gifts a mother can give her children. Mrs J. gave them all. The first is to give them faith. The second is to love their father. A third is teaching them what is right but loving and supporting them when they are wrong. Another is choosing to love the partners her children married. From the time she was a child Mrs. J. said she wanted 8 children. After giving birth to four children, this plan was redesigned. Mrs. J. still achieved her goal by treating her first four children’s spouses as her own. They are Shelby and Gary Walkerof Charlotte Court House, Dempsey and Maria Jonesof Farmville, Averett and Susan Jonesof Keysville , and Bert and Bambi Jonesof Glen Allen. Grandchildren: Lindsay S. W. WebbMark, Alexis M. W. BrownAlex, Reid A. Walker, Edgar D. JonesErin, Thomas A. Jones, Evan M. JonesAllison, Vadim V. Glinkin, Elizabeth B. Jones, Lyle Mastin J. LeakeJames, Harley E. B. Jones. Great-grand-children: Bradford, Couper, Mattie, Harrison, Will, Tucker, Audrey, Jackson, Nate, Graham, Alistair, Julian, Landon, Emrys. Dear friends and caregivers: Pat T. Holt, Inga Hines, Elise T. Marston, Carolyn Baldwin, Jean Lockett, Lisa T. Traynham, and Nancy Allen. She graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1943, from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 1947 earning a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Biology and Home Economics/Child Development. In 1984, she completed a Master of Science degree in Guidance and Counseling from Longwood College. She spent her early years of marriage as a housewife rearing children and being supportive of her husband as he was repeatedly transferred with his job. Hoyt went to work for Burlington Industries in 1952 and worked there for 20 years in North Carolina and Virginia, moving 12 times in 15 years. She was the biblical standard of “Whither thou goest I will go.” as she followed her beloved Hoyt to almost every town in North Carolina with a Burlington Mill. Nat made a home in each new place, flexible and imaginative, meeting needs and serving through Sunday School, women’s circles, Bible studies, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and camping. She maintained discipline with a mixture of love and a flyswatter. However her “spankings” literally would not have hurt a fly. The fact that she was disappointed was the punishment. She wove all things together and wrapped them in joy. People loved to gather where she was and one dear niece called her “Aunt Fun”. In 1964, the Joneses moved to Keysville, Virginia. After her youngest son started school Mrs. J. dusted off her teaching certificate and taught Biology at Randolph-Henry for many years. Although she was an excellent teacher, all of her students knew her weakness. They could get her off subject by asking her about her faith. She taught science but saw no conflict with God creating science. Her faith could not be shaken and in spite of this her students learned biology also. She established the Youth For Christ club which influenced hundreds of students. She was transferred to Central Middle School where she served as an Earth Science teacher and guidance counselor. In 1970, Hoyt retired from Burlington and opened a Western Auto store in Farmville Virginia where he, Nat and various configurations of the children worked until he retired in 1989 and Dempsey took over. One of Nat’s ventures at Western Auto was “The Mustard Seed”-a Christian bookstore. She retired from teaching in June of1990 with 25 years of service in Charlotte County. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, most recently the Briery congregation and supported every organization in which her children were involved. In addition to her plan for eight children Mrs. J planned on living on a 100 acre farm named Green Pastures from the 23rd Psalm. In God’s perfect plan she ended up on a 14 acre farm she named Still Waters also from the Psalm. It was at Still Waters that she completed rearing her children and where her beloved husband died. Although she earned a teaching certificate in college, Nat never planned to teach. Her first job after graduation, when she needed to be in Chattanooga due to her mother’s heart condition, was teaching. She found that she loved teaching and taught in different ways for the rest of her life. She taught in high school, middle school, pre-school, Sunday School, Bible studies, Girl and Cub Scouts, vacation Bible school, small groups, as a guidance counselor, through Pilgrimage talks, cluster programs, English as a second language, and as a newspaper columnist. She taught by her words, her actions, her choices and her love. As her health declined, she taught Scripture and family history to the ladies who helped her. In the old Southern tradition Mrs. J. fed anyone who happened to be around at mealtimes and offered hospitality to any in need. She was always willing to adjust her life for the benefit of those who needed her. Her life was marked by joy and generosity, even in the hardest times. She loved and served her God, her husband, her children, her grandchildren, all of her extended family, her church, her community and the strangers that she met. Her heart was always willing to serve in whatever came to her hand and she always shared. Although dementia dimmed her mind, her gracious love was still evident. “What can I do to help you?” was her question even as she came to need more and more help herself. She leaves a “Nat” shaped hole in our lives, but we greatly rejoice in her graduation to heaven and her reunion with all those she loved who have gone before. . Nathalie, Mrs. J, Nat, Grandmother, Great-mama, Aunt Nat will be missed by many but her legacy will live forever in those who loved her.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 24, 2015, in Briery Presbyterian Church Keysville, VA, with interment to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the home, 333 David Bruce Avenue, Charlotte Court House, VA, on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Young Life Southside Virginia , PO Box 48, Farmville, VA 23901. The Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, VA, is in charge of arrangements.

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