Shirley "Sue" Jones

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Sue lived a life defined by love, resilience, and deep connection. A woman of unwavering character and integrity, she believed deeply in doing what was right. She moved through life with compassion and a quiet moral strength that guided her in every role.

A retired elementary school teacher and guidance counselor in the Olathe School District, Sue devoted her professional life to nurturing young minds and hearts. Her impact reached far beyond the classroom. Throughout the years, she remained in contact with her former students whose lives she enriched in lasting ways, a living testament to the difference she made.

If you asked Sue what mattered most, she would tell you it was her family. As a mother, her love was not only felt but clearly seen. It was immense, constant, and unconditional. As “Grammy,” she created a world of warmth, laughter, and safety for her grandchildren, who were the center of her heart and her proudest blessing. “Grammy” was their safe space, their confidant, and second home. Being such an integral part of their lives gave her a deep purpose and kept her young in both heart and spirit.

Sue’s life was also marked by extraordinary resilience. She faced more than five decades of health challenges with remarkable courage, always rising again with a strength that inspired everyone who knew her. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor became her life’s theme song, and she embodied its spirit fully.

She loved to travel and especially cherished her annual trips to Mexico, where she created lifelong memories with family, grandchildren, and dear friends. After the passing of her husband, Greg, in 2008, she traveled extensively overseas with her vibrant 85-year-old mother, Shirley, making memories that she spoke of often and fondly.

Sue also found joy in reading and listening to audiobooks, playing games, attending Broadway musicals, and celebrating Christmas with unmatched enthusiasm. She delighted in making moments last, insisting that stocking stuffers were wrapped individually, and gifts opened one at a time so that every second could be savored.

In recent years, she especially loved playing bridge, Mexican train, and mahjong several times a week with her best friends, whom she affectionately called her “soul-sisters”. She was actively involved in her neighborhood community, spent some time on the board, and often spoke warmly of her neighbors and her beloved “hot toddies” group. Sue felt truly happy, deeply blessed, and grateful for the life she built and the people who surrounded her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Greg Jones; her parents, Gene and Shirley Walden; and her sister, Diane Steeves.

She is survived and remembered with immeasurable love by her children, Jaime Frizzell, Ashlee Boyd (Scott), and Greg “Scooter” Jones; her six adored grandchildren, Nolan Frizzell, Knox Frizzell, Beau Frizzell, Scarlett Boyd, Sadie Jones, and Graham Jones; and her son-in-law, Peter Frizzell. Also survived by her brother, Danny Walden (Dana), Cindy Robinson, and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and many dear friends.

Sue wished for her life to be celebrated and memories cherished. That is exactly how she will be remembered by all who knew her: as a woman who changed lives, whose strength inspired many, and whose light will never fade.✨