Kimberly Anne Jones

Kimberly Anne Jones won her battle against cancer on June 20, 2024.  She passed peacefully at home with her family at her side.

Kim was born at 4:04 a.m. on July 8, 1973.  She was the first child and for twelve for twelve years, an only child.  The age difference between Kim and her younger brother, Brad, made her a perfect built-in-babysitter.  She looked after him like he was her own baby.  Even when she did NOT want to watch her little tag-along, she couldn't deny she was crazy about him.

Her patient and loving nature also made her the ideal foster parent for shelter animals.  Over the years she took care of many shelter animals.  At one time we had 19 felines in our home and looking after them all was a job that Kim relished, and she took great pride in finding their furever homes.

Then came the time to look after more precious babies.  First came a niece named Tatum Savannah, and then a nephew named Samuel Franklin.  Kim was ecstatic to have these little marvels to care for and to love with passion.

By now you may have noticed a pattern in Kim's life - caring for others.  She had plans to continue that pattern.  Kim had notions of a career as a veterinarian and had a couple years of years of college prerequisites completed before God threw a monkey wrench into her life when Mom suffered life-changing health issues and Kim's attention was needed full time. College had to wait.

Having had time for contemplation, Kim decided to change her major to business.  By the time she was able to get back to college, she had to go back to work to raise college tuition.  She learned to do taxes, and so of course, she did the whole family's taxes for free.  She also learned a whole lot about tires and tools.  (IYKYK) About that time, God threw another wrench into the works. Dad's life-changing health crisis required both Kim's and Mom's attentiveness.  After another long interval of time to think while caring for someone else, Kim changed her major again.

This time it stuck.  By now Kim had decided what she wanted to do with her life. Practically starting over with her entire college career, she graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2017 with Honors and double degrees in Psychology and Social Work.

She began her Social Work career in May 2019 at the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources in Family Preservation.  She made many friends there and enjoyed her work.  She planned to work two years locally and then relocate to Atlanta to work in Policy.  This was her dream - to change the system, not just struggle in the existing one.

After a life spent caring for others, Kim finally made concrete plans for her own future.  But as it is often said, we plan, and God laughs.  And throws wrenches.  Sometimes really big ones.  In April 2020 Kim went to the ER with what she thought were kidney stones.  No stones were found but what was found was a large mass in her liver.  On June 18, 2020, Kim was diagnosed with Stage IV Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, which is a fancy way of saying  Advanced Bile Duct Cancer.  Her prognosis was six months to one year. She decided not to die. But sometimes when she was really sick, like after chemotherapy or during times when the pain was too much to bear, she had to let others take care of her for a change.

Kim was a Sunday's child and, according to the well-known children's rhyme, "a child born on the Sabbath day is fair and wise" and she was indeed.  Kim was also strong and brave beyond what anyone could know.  Kim fought the cancer that was supposed to take her life in a year or less for more than four years.  Winnie the Pooh, who Kim loved, must have had her in mind when he said

                            You are braver than you believe

                                         You are stronger than you seem 

                                                       You are smarter than you think

                                                                                   And you are Loved more than you know

Those who preceded her in death include her paternal Paw Paw and Maw Maw, Albert J. and Willa Kate Jones; her uncle and aunt H. Judson and Peggy Jones; her aunt Jean Jones Shirley; her uncle J. Frank Johnson; and her maternal Gram, Loraine C. Moncrief Halsell; many, many furbabies who wait at the Rainbow Bridge.

Those Kim leaves to cherish her memories are her heart-broken parents, A. Frank and Anne Johnson Jones; beloved brother and sister-in-law, Bradley S. and Heather N. Jones; her precious niece and nephew, Tatum S. Jones and Samuel F. Jones; uncle Noel H. Shirley; and cousin Gary (Deanna) Winn.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 15 at 6p.m. at Crawford Baptist Church. 3000 Sun Valley Drive Mobile, AL 36618

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made at Cure Cholangiocarcinoma, https://curecca.link/c424

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