Elsie was born on June 12, 1926 to Thomas Lester Jones and Minnie B Miles Jones in Itta Bena, MS. Her brothers and sisters included Eugenia (GG) White (husband Harold White), Joan Lawless (husband Jim Lawless), Charles Jones (wife Jean Jones), Barbara Hodges (husband Jesse Hodges) and Robert Jones (wife Paula Jones). She was known as Aunt SIS. She is survived by her son, John Sams, his wife Kay Sams, her daughter, Linda Trader, her grandchildren, Elizabeth Trader and Michael Trader, her sister-in-law Paula Jones and numerous nieces and nephews.
Raised in Forrest City AR. Elsie met her husband Morris T Sams while working for the REA in Augusta AR. He told her that she was going to marry him but that she would have to wait 4 years to do so. He was working and going to the University of Arkansas at that time. She told him that he was crazy if he thought that she would wait that long for any man. She married him on June 10, 1950. 3 days short of 4 years. They were married until Morris passed away in January 1985.
Momma loved to cook and sew. She could sew anything. She sewed couch cushions, drapes, quilts and made clothes for the entire family including nieces. She continued to sew, improving her skills as the years went on. She started French hand sewing for her grandchildren, including a luxurious christening gown for a great niece.
Momma used to laugh about how she didn’t know how to cook before she married. Seems GG and Momma Jones did all the cooking and Momma did the dishes. But she learned quickly and she devoured cookbooks and recipes from everywhere. She became famous for her Coconut Cake and her love of tea parties. Her friends would bring her tea cups and pots from all over the world. She would set the table with the linens, china and silver. Then sit down to a group of friends to talk and enjoy the tiny sandwiches, scones and dainty cakes.
Momma was a trailblazer too. She worked all during her life, mostly for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She retired with over 20 years of service to them. She was one of the first “Frame Dames”. A job that had previously only been held by men because it was too hard for women. She lead the way for other women in proving that women could do the job.
Momma loved her church, Tallowood Baptist Church. She was a member since 1967. She loved serving on the food committee. She would set the tables, slice up the pies and cakes and served the food. Then she would clean those tables and pick up the trash. She always saved the biggest piece of cake for the pastor. She served until she could no longer do that work. She always counted the food committee as her longest friendships.
Momma always put her family first. If anyone needed anything, Momma always tried her best to make sure that they got it. She sewed dresses for her sisters. She worked overtime to make sure her children went to college. And when she would look after her grandkids, she made sure they had plenty to eat and did their homework. She showed Michael how to make eggs at age 3 and then watched in horror as he made and ate 6 scrambled eggs. She misread a school assignment for Elizabeth and so they sat and read a book every day for a week. Not realizing that it was one book a week. Momma was also determined. She didn’t want her children afraid of anything. So she would hold us up to the window and tell us how pretty the storm was. Even though she was shaking in fear herself. Of course, then we were fearless causing her anxiety with our escapades. Her greatest joy was her family.
Today, her body is gone but her spirit lives on because of her faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. Let us remember her love, her grit and her faith. She will be waiting for us in heaven with coconut cake and a cup of coffee right beside the rest of the family.
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Elsie was born on June 12, 1926 to Thomas Lester Jones and Minnie B Miles Jones in Itta Bena, MS. Her brothers and sisters included Eugenia (GG) White (husband Harold White), Joan Lawless (husband Jim Lawless), Charles Jones (wife Jean Jones), Barbara Hodges (husband Jesse Hodges) and Robert Jones (wife Paula Jones). She was known as Aunt SIS. She is survived by her son, John Sams, his wife Kay Sams, her daughter, Linda Trader, her grandchildren, Elizabeth Trader and Michael Trader, her sister-in-law Paula Jones and numerous nieces and nephews.
Raised in Forrest City AR. Elsie met her husband Morris T Sams while working for the REA in Augusta AR. He told her that she was going to marry him but that she would have to wait 4 years to do so. He was working and going to the University of Arkansas at that time. She told him that he was crazy if he thought that she would wait that long for any man. She married him on June 10, 1950. 3 days short of 4 years. They were married until Morris passed away in January 1985.
Momma loved to cook and sew. She could sew anything. She sewed couch cushions, drapes, quilts and made clothes for the entire family including nieces. She continued to sew, improving her skills as the years went on. She started French hand sewing for her grandchildren, including a luxurious christening gown for a great niece.
Momma used to laugh about how she didn’t know how to cook before she married. Seems GG and Momma Jones did all the cooking and Momma did the dishes. But she learned quickly and she devoured cookbooks and recipes from everywhere. She became famous for her Coconut Cake and her love of tea parties. Her friends would bring her tea cups and pots from all over the world. She would set the table with the linens, china and silver. Then sit down to a group of friends to talk and enjoy the tiny sandwiches, scones and dainty cakes.
Momma was a trailblazer too. She worked all during her life, mostly for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She retired with over 20 years of service to them. She was one of the first “Frame Dames”. A job that had previously only been held by men because it was too hard for women. She lead the way for other women in proving that women could do the job.
Momma loved her church, Tallowood Baptist Church. She was a member since 1967. She loved serving on the food committee. She would set the tables, slice up the pies and cakes and served the food. Then she would clean those tables and pick up the trash. She always saved the biggest piece of cake for the pastor. She served until she could no longer do that work. She always counted the food committee as her longest friendships.
Momma always put her family first. If anyone needed anything, Momma always tried her best to make sure that they got it. She sewed dresses for her sisters. She worked overtime to make sure her children went to college. And when she would look after her grandkids, she made sure they had plenty to eat and did their homework. She showed Michael how to make eggs at age 3 and then watched in horror as he made and ate 6 scrambled eggs. She misread a school assignment for Elizabeth and so they sat and read a book every day for a week. Not realizing that it was one book a week. Momma was also determined. She didn’t want her children afraid of anything. So she would hold us up to the window and tell us how pretty the storm was. Even though she was shaking in fear herself. Of course, then we were fearless causing her anxiety with our escapades. Her greatest joy was her family.
Today, her body is gone but her spirit lives on because of her faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. Let us remember her love, her grit and her faith. She will be waiting for us in heaven with coconut cake and a cup of coffee right beside the rest of the family.
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