Glenda Reeves Jones

Glenda Reeves Jones, 84, passed peacefully from this life into the loving arms of our Lord on March 7, in Columbus, GA surrounded by her family.

A native of Columbus, Glenda Joy was the sixth of seven children born to Thomas Shelby and Addie Davidson Reeves.

Glenda was a 1954 graduate of Jordan Vocational High School. She studied Political Science at Georgia State University while concurrently working at Kirven’s department store. During this time, Glenda met her husband, the late Col. (Ret.) Walter R. “Bob” Jones.  Their union would last 50 years, producing 5 children, 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Grounded in family, Glenda went on to live a nomadic life with Bob, moving their five daughters, plus pets, no less than twenty times around the country and overseas. Glenda’s love of travel, independent spirit, intestinal fortitude, generosity, and love of entertaining made her well suited for Army life. These qualities became essential for her recurring role as a solo parent to five young girls during Bob’s Vietnam tours, time away from the family on TDY’s and while supporting the soldiers and families of 2-15 IN, 3rd ID during Bob’s Command time and beyond. Fun-loving and affable, she entertained expertly and forged bonds of friendship within the military community that lasted her lifetime. As her children grew older, Glenda traded her volunteer positions at ACS, the Red Cross, OWC, Girl Scouts, and the children’s schools when she reentered the workforce at VCorps in Frankfurt, Germany. After Bob was reassigned to Ft. Benning, Georgia, Glenda worked for the President of Cooke Realty and WDAK Radio for a short time before returning to Civil Service, managing property books in the Government Accountability Office. She received numerous recognitions and awards throughout her years of volunteering and government service, eventually retiring in 2004.

Glenda and Bob devoted their retirement years to traveling and celebrating life’s milestones with their extensive family and friends. When Bob passed away in 2008, Glenda continued to live independently until her death. She resumed volunteering and helped out where she could at the National Infantry Museum, Anne Elizabeth Shepherd Home, Mohina Woods Garden club, and other organizations. Ever youthful, she stayed connected by making new friends while attending events at Ft. Benning and keeping up with faraway friends through Facebook. She could always be found in her garden, tending to her flowers, in her kitchen, baking “Nana’s bread” and “GiGi’s cookies,” playing bridge, or at Country’s BBQ on Tuesday nights. She was an avid sports fan. Her favorite teams were whichever team a grandchild or son-in-law was currently on, but her love for the Georgia Bulldogs and writing “Dawg Ditties” to share with her Facebook followers before every Georgia Football game, was legendary. For these and so many other things, she will be fondly remembered.

Glenda is preceded in death by her late husband Col.(Ret.) Walter R. Jones, parents Thomas S. Reeves and Addie Davidson Reeves, brother Sampson Reeves, and sisters Flora Jean Taylor, Peggy Wilhelm, and Mary Helen Vann.

She is survived by her sisters Betty Glisson of Columbus, and Sue Stiner of Knoxville, TN, five daughters and their husbands, Kim and Bob Harrison of Springfield VA, Kelly and John Curry of Augusta, GA, Kaye and Greg Sargent of Yardley, PA, Kristy and Kimo Gallahue of Carlisle, PA, and Kara and Branch Sinkule of Atlanta. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, LTC. Robert (Kate) Harrison, Maj. Thomas (Shannon) Harrison, Kaitlin (Bobby) Wahl, Will Harrison, Josh Curry, Mike Curry, Nick Curry, Sara Sargent, Olivia Sargent, Julia Sargent, Georgia Gallahue, Carter Gallahue, Avery Gallahue, Mary Glen Sinkule, and Sloane Sinkule and 7 great-grandchildren. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11am on Saturday, April 17, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Columbus. A private interment at Arlington National Cemetery will follow later in the year. In lieu of flowers or donations, Glenda’s family asks that people remember her by living generously in spirit and in service.