Obituary of Dora B. Jones

Dora B Jones, 93 years old of Little York, NY and Canton, Georgia, passed away on 07/21/2025. Dora B Jones was born in McLean, NY to Henry and Gladys (Riese) Breeds on 04/19/1932. She graduated from Homer High School in 1949. Following graduation she took a job as a telephone operator. In December of 1950 she married Robert H. Jones. From then on she was a very busy homemaker and farm wife, actively helping her husband in the fields as well as taking care of her growing family. When her children were of school age, she worked at a variety of jobs for many years. Among the jobs she held were video camera operator at SUNY Cortland, and as a nurse’s clerical assistant at Homer High School, She also held positions with Princess House, Olan Mills, Century 21 Real Estate, at Cargill Salt Mine, at Empire Soils and briefly at the Little York Plantation. She and Bob loved to take trips visiting different farm systems in the other US states and overseas, including Hawaii, England, Holland, Germany and France. After retiring from the farm they split their time between New York and Arizona taking advantage of the opportunity to visit many states and Civil War battle sites along the way. Dora was an active volunteer in her community. She was a 73 plus year member of the Homer Congregational Church, where she was a member of the choir for many years and served as a Deacon and where she served on committees for church meals, Women’s Fellowship, Bazaar, and Holiday in Homer. A few of her other activities included: Cortland Repertory Theater guild and as an usher, and with the Preble Park Summer meal program, She was a Representative at the park where they lived in Arizona, and over the years she also donated over 7 gallons of blood to the Red Cross.She was also involved with numerous organizations including the Grange. She participated in raising money over many years for the Alzheimer’s Association by doing the Walk to End Alzheimer's. She also was a member of the 7 Valley Whirlaways Square Dance Team and she and her husband loved to dance with the team. Dora is also remembered for participating in the June Dairy Parade by driving a self-propelled Hesston hay mower. After she and her husband retired from farming, they moved to Little York Lake and she loved her home on the lake. Dora B Jones was an avid golfer, especially when she and her husband wintered in Arizona. She especially enjoyed her 2 vacations in her elder years in the Bahamas on a catamaran where she would snorkel and loved to see the occasional sharks and barracudas, as well as the exotic fish. She also loved to read, play cards, write in her daily journal, paint pictures, sing and dance, enjoyed cooking, baking and sewing and especially she loved being a mother, grandmother and a great grandmother and to have her family visit. Additionally, her faith was very important to her and locally she attended Homer Congregational Church and when residing half the year in Georgia, she attended and participated with Ebenezer Methodist Church in Roswell Georgia. She is survived by her sisters Charlene (Floyd) Hamilton of Locke, NY and June Abbey of Cortland, NY. Survivors include her children and their spouses Debra (Douglas) Dutcher of Otego, NY, Stuart Jones of Canton, Georgia, Rebecca Jones (Jeff Palm) of Cortland, NY, Edwin (Laura Marcy) Jones of Cortland, NY and Robert S (Deanna) Jones of Liverpool NY. She is further survived by 10 grandchildren: Eric Palm, Nicholas (AnaMaria) Jones, Keith Palm, Dana Dutcher, Dayle Dutcher (Christopher Marks), Ian Jones (Ashley Lefebvre), Hannah Jones, Ariel Jones, Noah Jones (Noelle Hensler), and Kathryn Jones. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Kaedyn and Baylee DeBoer, Esmeralda and Ada Jones, and Sylvie Lefebvre. She is survived by 30 nieces and nephews, as well as dear friends. She was predeceased by her husband of almost 60 years, Robert H Jones, as well as her parents, and siblings: Gerald Breeds, Betsy Hargett, Douglas Breeds, Jane Breeds, and Lawrence Breeds. A funeral service will be held at Wright Beard funeral home in Cortland, NY on Saturday July 26 with Reverend Vicki Burtson officiating at 12 PM. Calling hours will be Saturday July 26 from 10 to 11:50 AM at Wright Beard in Cortland, NY. We will gather after the service at Hometown Studios, 2 River St., Cortland to reminisce and celebrate her life. Memorial donations may be made to Homer Congregational Church at PO Box 221, Homer, NY 13077, or to Ebenezer Methodist Church at 12900 Arnold Mill Rd, Roswell, Georgia 30075, or to Alzheimer’s Association. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Misty Glen rehabilitation center at Guthrie Cortland Medical Center and to her numerous family and friends who visited her there. To offer online condolences, please visit www.wright-beard.com