Lucille Gwendolyn Fridley (née Jones) was an interesting and wonderful soul. In honor of her having shuffled off this mortal coil on Saturday, December 19, 2020, we offer you 10 things that made her so interesting and wonderful:
1. Her family was the center of her world. She could tell you the family history of every last spoon, picture, or knick-knack in her house--and there were a lot of those.
2. She had seven adored grandchildren. If one of them was in an event, she wanted to be there. If one of them made something, she put it in a place of honor. If one of them played with a toy (ever), it was in her basement. Her house was a temple to her grandchildren.
3. She was as proud of her two sons, Scott and Daryl, as a mother could be. If there was ever a public mention of either of them, she had a copy of it--and probably sent it to hundreds of people.
4. Her interest in family led her to genealogy. She spent countless hours researching the farthest ends of her family tree. And the family trees of family members. And friends. She always had a new tidbit of family lore. She was an excellent genealogical researcher, too--always checking multiple sources. She had no patience for people who simply copied what they had found in a secondary or tertiary source into a public family tree. Accuracy was important to her. She wouldn’t care much about most of the arrangements surrounding her demise, but if the grave marker does not provide the essential information for some future family historian, she will undoubtedly haunt those responsible for it. (She would also be irritated if the following information regarding deceased relatives was not included in this document: Mother: Harriett Isabell Ressler (nee Duvall); Father: George Calvin Jones; Brother: Dr. Duvall (Bud) Albert Jones.)
5. She cared a great deal about relationships. She maintained regular contact with people she first met 50 or more years ago. In fact, if you knew her well enough to be reading this, you’ve probably received a Smilebox or some other example of local news from her.
6. She loved to read, and she was usually in the middle of several books at the same time, each left in a different place in her house. Interestingly, although she was an avowed pacifist, almost every book she read seemed to include a murder. Her love of reading and genealogy led her to become an outspoken advocate for the public library. Those wishing to honor her memory might consider making a donation to the Anderson Public Library (https://www.and.lib.in.us/support-your-library).
7. She never forgot her roots. She loved all things Maryland: crabs, Ocean City (the only real Ocean City according to her), Lexington Market, Wockenfuss Candies, Fisher’s Caramel Corn, Thrasher’s Fries (Boardwalk Fries? Please), and much more.
8. She believed that one of Jesus’ greatest gifts was his model of compassion. This manifested itself in her involvement in the Vietnamese refugee resettlement effort in the 1970s and ‘80s--including welcoming two beloved foster sons, Bill and Long Dang, into her home-- and in decades of work with the Women of the Church of God.
9. She was one of the oldest and most avid fans of the Anderson University Men’s Soccer team. Wearing a coat that was too heavy for the weather, camera at the ready, she documented more than a quarter century of the club’s growth. She was particularly fond of the head coach. Another suggestion for honoring her, in lieu of flowers, would be to make a donation to the continuing renovation of the soccer facilities at AU (https://anderson.edu/give/soccer-stadium/).
10. She was complex. She was compassionate but often prickly. Thoughtful but critical. She was not just the first thing that comes to your mind when you thought of her. The second, third, and fourth thought were just as much a part of her.
For these and many other reasons she was loved and will be greatly missed by her two sons, Scott (Wendy) and Daryl, and their families, her beloved sister Shirley Williams, her dear friends, Janis Anderson and Marci Hutto, and many other family members and friends. In light of the current pandemic, the family will hold a private graveside service at a future time.
Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service was in charge of the funeral arrangements.
Post online condolences at www.rozelle-johnson.com.