January 13, 2005

OBITUARIES

Major ‘Rocky’ Jones Jr.

Major “Rocky” E. Jones Jr., formerly of Yellow Springs, died on Sunday, Jan. 9, in Dayton. He was 54.

He was born in Cleveland, graduated from Shaker Heights High School, attended Central State University and retired from Kroger Foods. He then held the position of a worldwide travel director.

He was preceded in death by his father, Major E. Jones.

He is survived by his children Eli, Danielle and Asiya Jones; mother, Cecile E. Jones; brother and sister, Ronald L. Jones and Sandra J. Mobley; grandchildren, Eli Jr., Illiana Cecilia Jones and expected grandchild, Julietta Jones; nieces and nephews, Dana Bullock, David Jones, Bill and Dorian Mobley, and Aubre Jones; mother of his children, Sherry Sapier; daughter-in-law, Josephina; and numerous other relatives.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m., in the Belton Funeral Home, 422 East Dayton-Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn. A gathering of family and friends will take place from noon until the services. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.

Helen Virginia Patch

Helen Virginia Patch of Springfield died Saturday, Jan. 8, in Essex of Springfield. She was 81.

She was born in Yellow Springs on March 27, 1923, the daughter of William Maynert Martin and Helen Bessie (Rice) Martin Johnson.

She worked as a bookkeeper for Ripley Inc. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Fraternal Order of Eagle Aerie 397 and the Machinist’s Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lewis L. Patch; a sister, Mary Moots; and a brother, Charles Martin.

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Michael Lee and Carol Patch of DeKalb, Ill.; siblings and their spouses, Barbara and Jerry Hill of Springfield, William Russell Martin of Arizona, and Robert and June Martin of Springfield; four grandchildren, David, Dawn, Diane and Donna; brother-in-law Middleton “Sam” Patch and his wife, Patricia; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Jan. 13, 3 p.m., in the Littleton & Rue Funeral Home in Springfield, with burial following in Ferncliff Cemetery.

Sheila McManima

Sheila (Black) McManima died on Sunday at a hospital in Ocean Springs, Miss. She was 40.

She was a native of Dayton, a resident of Ocean Springs and a homemaker.

She is survived by her father, Rev. Paul Black, and stepmother, Wanda Black; her husband, Stephen McManima of Ocean Springs; son, Joshua Paul Matthew Vagedes of Vandalia; daughter, Shenna Louise Vagedes of Ocean Springs; brothers, Ronnie Black, Paul Black and Mike Black, all of Ohio; sisters, Cheryl Cotteral of Fairborn, Rebecca Brooks of Columbus and Constance Gaines of Yellow Springs; and one grandchild.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Believers Hope Church of God in Fairborn, with burial following in Fairfield Cemetery.

Margaret J. Ford

Margaret J. (Annie) Ford of Cleveland, formerly of Xenia, died Saturday, Jan. 8, in Hospice of Western Reserve in Cleveland. She was 72.

She was born Sept. 1, 1932, the ninth child of Granville and Frostie (Wheat) Ford. She was baptized at an early age at the First AME Church in Xenia.

She was a graduate of Xenia Central High School in 1950. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Ohio State in 1954. She retired from the Cleveland Public Schools, where she taught at the Henry W. Longfellow School for 30 years.

Margaret joined St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in the late 1950s. There she served as Brownie Girl Scout leader, was a member of the Chancel Choir and was the choir librarian for a number of years. She was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. While at Ohio State, Margaret was president of the Pyramid Club and served as a member of the Association of Childhood Education.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and two sisters.

She is survived by her loving family, including her two brothers, Paul and his wife, Betty, and James A. Ford Sr., all of Yellow Springs; her sister-in-law, Dorothy Ford of Xenia; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, Jan. 29, 1 p.m., in St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, 22111 Chagrin Boulevard in Beachwood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society, Cuyahoga County Unit, 10501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland 44106.