Elizabeth Hobbie Jones

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Elizabeth Hobbie Jones, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, who left this world peacefully on July 24 at the age of 88. Elizabeth, known fondly as Beth, was born on Nov. 23, 1937, in Sodus, New York, to Dr. Thomas C. Hobbie and Elizabeth Morgan Hobbie.

Beth’s life was filled with love, adventure, and service. She grew up the second of six sisters. Beth graduated from high school in 1955 and soon after obtained her license as a dental hygienist. In a testament to her perseverance and dedication, Beth returned to college when the youngest of her four children was two. She earned her RN degree in 1978, just a week before her oldest child graduated from high school.

Beth’s career as a registered nurse took her to various hospitals across West Virginia and Maryland, where she preferred the evening shift, as it allowed her the opportunity to provide comfort with a back rub or a friendly chat between medication rounds and meals. Her kindness and compassion left an indelible mark on all those she worked with and cared for.

On July 25, 1959, Beth married Ronald Jones at a ceremony in Sodus. Together, they embarked on a beautiful marriage of 67 years, filled with love, laughter, and adventures. They lived in six different U.S. states. They raised four children, Elizabeth (Michael) Crowe, Andrew (Cheryl Chick) Jones, Philip Jones, and Susan Tannahill. Beth taught all her children to cook and sew while they were young. She encouraged them to learn musical instruments and to do volunteer work. She instilled in them the same values of kindness, curiosity, and resilience that she embodied.

Beth’s interests were varied. She enjoyed reading. She was interested in European history and local politics. She was a good baker, often baking cookies and bread with her children and grandchildren. A gifted musician, she played both the piano and flute. She was an active member of the Rotary Wives group in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and a cherished member of the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church since 2000. There, she sang in the choir, played in the “Flock of Flutes” ensemble, served as a deacon, and participated in mission trips with her husband, Ron. Beth also loved to travel. When their children were younger, Beth and Ron took them on such brave (ill-advised?) vacations as a tour of the American Northwest from Illinois to Seattle and back with a station wagon, a tent, three double cots, and a Coleman cooler. She later saw much of Europe, Great Britain, and even Cuba.

Beth’s warmth and humor were evident in every gathering, but particularly at the annual Jones Christmas celebrations and the biennial Hobbie family reunions, where her joy in her extended family shone brightly. Her legacy of love continues through her eleven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, each of whom carries a piece of her spirit with them.

In her honor, memorial contributions may be made to the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church, which held a special place in her heart.

Beth will be remembered for her warmth, her smile, her wry humor and occasional silliness, and her genuine interest in the stories of others. Her life was a testament to the power of love and kindness, forever etched in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Arrangements are with Brandenburg & Stein Funeral Parlor, 3045 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA. To sign the online guestbook and leave condolences go to www.gettysburgfunerals.com