Amy's Obituary

Dr. Amy Ann Anthony Jones was the second born daughter to the late James H. and Mozella Anthony on December 22, 1947. Amy was named for her paternal grandmother, Amy Core Anthony. During her formative years growing up on Emerson Street in NW Washington, DC, Amy expressed an early love for the arts. She loved music, singing, reading and cooking. Amy began her primary education at Van Ness Elementary School, then attended St. Gabriel’s Catholic School and later graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC.

Following in the path blazed by her father at NC A&T State University, her mother at Fayetteville State University, her older sister, Kathy (NC A&T State University) and eventually her younger sister, Bonnie (Bennett College), Amy selected the great state of North Carolina to complete her undergraduate education at Winston Salem State University. At WSSU is where Amy’s lifelong devotion for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and her RAMily began. Amy completed her graduate studies at Southern Illinois University and later earned her doctorate of education from George Washington University, all while serving in various teaching and administrative roles within the DC Public Schools system. She was a significant contributor to the teams she worked with, whether as a classroom teacher, a resource teacher, or in any other capacity. Amy retired as Principal of Ruth K Webb Elementary School. Her passion for learning and sharing the love of learning to all of her students, was a marquis quality of this extraordinary woman.

Amy married the late Deacon Ronald A. Jones in 1971 and from that union produced two wonderful children, Gia Rhonda and Gerard Anthony Jones, who, unfortunately, both predeceased her. Amy and Ronald absolutely adored their children. Despite the painful loss of her husband and both of her children, Amy did not give up, in fact, she continued to give unselfishly to her family, her sorority, and her WSSU alumni community as she had done her entire life.

Amy’s childhood interest in singing later developed into a true passion. Amy was an active member in the No. 2 Choir and Chancel Choir at Mount Horeb Baptist Church for more than 30 years. As active as Amy was, retirement was unable to contain her energy and volunteerism. Following retirement from DCPS, Amy served as a Vice Dean in the School of Education Teaching Learning and Professional Development at Bowie State University; continued as an active Life Member and Golden Soror with a highly decorated 52 years of service in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. As president of Xi Omega Chapter (1994-1997), Amy developed groundbreaking partnerships and programs, some of which are still operational today. She served in various capacities in her beloved, Xi Omega Chapter and was elated to share this love of AKA and Xi Omega with her niece and fellow sorority member, Angelique M. Okeke (Angie).

Amy’s impeccable cooking skills had family wanting her to host most gatherings. Bolstered by her family and friends’ love of her soul food cooking, Amy opened and operated her own catering business, AJ’s Catering, for nearly 15 years. Through her catering business, she employed Gia and Gerard and almost every one of her nieces and nephews, teaching the skills of entrepreneurism, finance, accounting and most importantly, how to make her infamous peach and apple cobbler.

Amy was a convicted woman of faith. She was meticulous, authentic, unapologetic, exacting and did everything with a spirit of excellence for the process as well as the outcome. Amy fiercely loved her family, her grandsons, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was extremely caring and showed her love and support in her own quiet yet thoughtful way.

Amy is survived by her two grandsons, Anthony Eugene Jones and Amari Mikel -Lee Jones, her loving and devoted sister Kathy Anthony Manning (Bernard). Her aunts Maeola Herring and Jeanette Herring Bruner; uncles Frank Herring, Louis Gene Herring (Lucy), Edward Herring (Vivian), Cleveland Herring (Gladys), William Herring (Ruby), David Herring and Walter Herring, and William Jones (Jeretta).

Her dedicated nieces Nicole Somlar-Manning (Shelly), Danielle Manning-Halsey, Angelique Okeke (Benjamin), Valencia Richardson, Lillian Bell and Allison Bell and her supportive nephew, D.B. Temujin Anthony Manning (Nakita). Her very dear cousins Munine Patrick (Brian) and Hughes “Bubba” Webster; close friends Dorothy Booker Hargrove, Rose Mary Brooks, devoted friend and sorority sister Cheryl Parker; a host of cousins, sorority sisters, church members, neighbors and friends.

Photo Gallery

The gallery below is a tribute to Amy from his family and friends.

Please select an image to view it within the gallery.

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