Mabel Jones Saunders

Mabel Jones Saunders

Mabel Jones Saunders departed this life on Monday, September 28, 2009, at the Hilquist Memorial Inpatient Center in Arlington, Virginia. She is now at peace with her Heavenly Father. No more pain or suffering. She was 91 years old.

Mabel was born on April 20, 1918, in Charlottesville, Virginia, to the late Anderson Jones and Lula Kelly Jones.

She leaves to mourn her passing, a devoted husband of 30 years, Senior Master Sergeant, United States Air Force, Retired, Frank H. Saunders; a sister, Mrs. Dorothy J. Palmer of Charlottesville, Virginia; a brother, Mr. George W. Jones of Hyattsville, Maryland; five sisters-in-law, Mrs. Betty D. Jones of Charlottesville, Virginia, Ms. Priscilla Saunders of New York City, Mrs. Martha Briggs of The Bronx, New York, Mrs. Irene Cole of Decatur, Georgia, and Mrs. Lucy Toliver of Charlottesville, Virginia; plus a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Howard Jones, Lewis Toliver and Clarence Jones; four sisters, Mrs. Catherine T. Woodfolk, Mrs. Elizabeth Morton, Mrs. Bernice Duley and Mrs. Virginia Carrington.

Her lifelong association with the church began when she was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. She later moved to the Washington, D.C., area and was a Member of Walker Memorial Baptist Church. She was a long time employee of the Navy Exchange Service at the Washington Navy Yard, retiring on April 27, 1981. She moved to Alexandria, Virginia, in 1978. She joined The Alfred Street Baptist Church and became an active member of Discipleship Group #28. She faithfully attended the 8 a.m. church service, always sitting in her favorite pew on the left side of the church.

Mabel especially enjoyed attending family gatherings, the holidays in Charlottesville, Virginia, family reunions, Sunday brunch at local military clubs with a special group of friends "The Sunday Brunch Gang", Gus and Georgia and Cary and Carolyn.

She was an avid sports fan and her favorite sport was college and NFL football games. The Redskins was "Mabel's Team", and she loudly cheered for them every Sunday. Joy and happiness when won, frustration and sadness when they lost. She also enjoyed watching soap operas and made frequent phone calls to her sister-in-law in New York to discuss the event of "The Soaps". She enjoyed life to the fullest degree.

Our hearts are full of sadness because of her passing. We loved her dearly, but God loved her best.

A funeral service will be held at the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, 11 a.m. Monday, October 5, 2009. A viewing will be held from 10 until 11 a.m.

Greene Funeral Home, 814 Franklin Street, Alexandria, Virginia, is in charge of arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.