Mrs Jones was the Port Stephens Citizen of the Year in 1988 – pictured cutting a bicentenary cake on page 3 of the Examiner that year. 

She died after a long illness – complications from road trauma – in Opal Raymond Terrace Gardens, age 87. 

The mother of five was walking home from the Raymond Terrace Neighbourhood Centre in March 1995 when she was struck by a car.

“She was only 65 and to think of all the things she had done for people, it was tragic,” daughter Jenny Retallick said.

“I don’t think any of us quite realised everything she had done until we looked back at the funeral.”

In 1988 Mrs Jones was the Girl Guides commissioner for the Chicester Region and was also acting district commissioner for Raymond Terrace. Those expertise were also loaned to the Scouts.

As part of the St John’s Anglican Church she was a Sunday School teacher and would tend to the flowers. With her children at what was Raymond Terrace High School, she was active on the school’s P&C and volunteer in the canteen. 

She was even involved with the NSW SES in Raymond Terrace.

A former nurse, Mrs Jones put that experience to use with the organisation respite organisation Make the Day Count.

“There was no respite care at the Mater Hospital then,” Mrs Retallick said.

“Mum would sit go to their homes and sit there all night with them so the family could take a break.”

Mrs Jones has been laid to rest at Raymond Terrace Cemetery beside son, Brian Jones.