Ingrid Jones

Ingrid M. Jones, 93, died March 25, 2021, at her beloved home, the Livery Stable, in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  She was born February 24, 1928, in Greene County, Indiana, the daughter of Marie Collings and Wayne Cullison. Ingrid graduated from Solsberry High School, Class of 1946.  She met her husband, Marvin Jones, at a bus stop in Indianapolis, Indiana.  She was there for secretarial school, and he was in the Army.  After they were married in 1947, she traveled the world as an Army wife.  They lived in Indiana; Wisconsin; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Lewis, Washington; Angoulême, France; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Baumholder Army Base, Germany.  After Marvin retired from the U.S. Army, they transitioned to the federal service as civilian employees.  She worked in a variety of administrative positions at Crane Naval Depot in Indiana, Fuchu Air Station near Tokyo, Japan; the anti-ballistic missile site in Conrad, Montana; Far East Network (FEN) in Camp Drake, Japan and then took time off to earn an Associate’s degree from the University of Maryland University College when they lived in Camp Zama, Japan.  When they returned stateside to Chicago, IL, they saw a newspaper ad for an old boarding house in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  This would change the direction of their lives, bringing them to the “The Livery Stable” in Tarpon Springs, where they ran a bed and breakfast.  It was at the Livery Stable that she would live for the next 40 years.  She continued working for the federal government.  First, as an administrator, running the administrative offices at the VA Medical Clinic on Little Road in New Port Richey; and then, when she decided to retire, she entered FEMA’s retiree EEO cohort and worked for more than 12 years as an EEO investigator for that agency.   She always said that if she wrote a book about her life, she would title it, A Wonderful Journey.  She and Marvin celebrated 57 years of marriage before Marvin’s death in 2005. 

Her life story would not be complete without mentioning her fierce love of family. The home they built on three acres in Indiana, the land given to them as a wedding present from her parents, was known as “the red house” and was home to them for all the times they were not traipsing off to somewhere else in the world.  It was there that steak dinners were served in the backyard and family, including her dearly loved grandfather Papa Odie, gathered around the fire pit to tell stories, recite poetry and sing the “old songs”.  These old songs she taught first to her children and then to her grandchildren; her favorite being “The Great Titanic.” In Florida, the Livery Stable was filled with visitors, friends, family, and laughter.  Good food and big dinners were a given around the even bigger dining room table.  She loved meeting people and loved to talk. Finally, it would be remiss to not mention her love of cats.  To Marvin’s dismay and quite frequently a bone of contention between them, she was also a keeper of all stray cats.

At the end of her life, she suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and loss these memories.  Even so, her essence still remained.  She continued to remember the names of her children and was able to sing “The Great Titanic” until the last few days.  Thanks to her daughter Rita’s perseverance and selfless dedication to taking care of her mother, Ingrid continued to live a life of quality and dignity at the Livery Stable, which she loved so much, until the very end. She died at peace with her family around her.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her beloved husband, Marvin, and her cherished grandson, Reuben Jacobs.  Surviving are her four children, Rita Herrmann, Renee Going and her husband Mike, David Jones and his wife Beth, and Douglas Jones and his wife Debbie; nine grandchildren, Aaron Jacobs, Rebecca Rice, Nathan Going and Noah Going, Chelsea Mitchell, and Andrew, David, Emma and Ella Jones; six great grandchildren, Alexandra Jacobs; Katherine, Savannah and Charlotte Going; Russell Mitchell; and Rowan Going; two sisters, Cora Sue Clayton and Marlyn Kay Baxter, one brother, Paul Albert (Bucky) Cullison, and many nieces and nephews on both sides of the family.

A visitation will be held from 10 to 10:45, on Friday, April 2 at Michels and Lundquist Funeral Home, 5228 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey; with a service following at the graveside at 11am, on Friday, April 2 at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 12609 Memorial Drive, Trinity. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Suncoast Hospice at, https://suncoasthospice.org/online-donations/.

Vinson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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