Jones, Mabel (Lossing) 1878-1978

JONES, LOSSING, MATTHEWS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 1/13/2005 at 17:10:29

Mabel Jones

Resident Dies In Maryland

Mrs. Mabel Jones, 100, of Gaithersburg, Md., formerly of Orlando, Fla. and Clayton, Ia., died Fri. night, June 23 at Asbury Methodist Home in Gaithersburg, where she resided since October of 1974. Her husband, Dr. E. Stanley Jones, a widely known missionary statesman and author, died in January of 1973.

Private services were held Monday at the Methodist Home with burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Baltimore, Md.

Mrs. Jones was born Mabel Lossing on April 3, 1878 in Clayton. At the age of 18 she was a teacher-principal at the Clayton school. She graduated from Upper Iowa University at Fayette in 1904 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the university in 1957 for her pioneering efforts in education.

She was commissioned a missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1904 and went to India where she taught for almost 50 years, and met and married Mr. Jones.

Following her marriage she became principal of Sitapur School, where she introduced the use of women teachers for primary school boys, the first time that teachers were allowed to teach Indian students of an opposite sex. Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, who carried on a lively correspondence with her, commended her on this success.

In retirement, she kept over 1,000 boys in school through scholarships she personally cultivated from friends in the U.S.

Surviving are a daughter, Eunice Matthews, wife of United Methodist Bishop, James K. Matthews of the Washington area, and three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping. hand dated 1978, from my mother's obituary collection.

Submitter not related -- posted for benefit of others.