The joy of the Lord was her strength. Mavourine “Momma Jo” Stone was 101, when she left this earth on Tuesday night.
A private graveside service was held on Saturday August 29th at Cherokee Memory Gardens.
She was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Bertha Strawn and brother Benny Strawn. She is survived by her sister Jackie Burkhalter, three daughters, Jerrianne Tucker (Donnie), Sanda Haynes (David) and Carla Naugher (Tim). Kelly Myer and Carl Bennet Burkhalter were always like her own children. Mrs. Stone had 7 grandchildren (Lance Tucker, Lawren Tucker, Chase Lackey, Kristen Hackney [Michael], Hayden Haynes, Erin Gilchrist [Blake] and Keaton Naugher [Kasey]) and 8 great grandchildren (Seth Tucker, Brandon Tucker, Kelton Strickland, Payhton Hackney, Ellie Grace Hackney, Mave Gilchrist, Tate Naugher and Willa Naugher). She was also blessed to have many nieces, nephews and cousins that she truly loved.
The Lord blessed her with length of days and she truly spent her days on earth loving God and loving people. Her gorgeous ocean blue eyes and youthful smile lit up the room, and she spread joy to everyone around her.
Known to many as “Mava” in her early years, she fell in love and married Dan Stone. When Dan grew tired of explaining how to pronounce the name “Mavourine” he playfully began telling others to call her “Jo.” It stuck, and from then on, most everyone came to know her as “Jo.”While it seems others take life in, Jo drank life in by the gulps. She was the mother to three beautiful girls, and (purposeful or not) she spread them out by ten years. This allowed her to enjoy and savor each stage of motherhood
with her girls. Her love for life was also seen in other activities like painting, sketching, and walking. She enjoyed nature, a good conversation, dessert, and porch-sitting. She never failed to comment on God’s beauty around her. She looked for the beauty not only in nature, but in people, too. She never allowed a moment to pass, when she didn’t compliment a person’s hair, clothes, jewelry, or make up. Her genuine encouragement gave those around her wings to feel that they could accomplish anything.
Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing “Momma Jo” would describe her as having a playful spirit. She laughed her way through much of life, and her beautiful wrinkle-free skin boasted of her worry-free mind and fun-loving personality. Momma Jo was not your average granny. She didn’t find joy in cooking, shopping, or hosting, but rather, Momma Jo was always the life of the party. She wanted to be where everyone else was. She loved music, dancing, and telling a good joke. While she could easily steal the show with her ability to do a headstand well into her 90s, tell a hilarious story, or jump up and demonstrate an award-winning Charleston, she rarely stole the spotlight. She found joy in other people. She enjoyed watching other succeed, flourish and shine.
While the current pandemic prohibits us from gathering in large groups, we are grateful to have celebrated her life with hundreds of her family and friends when she turned 100 years old in 2019. Momma Jo never wanted to miss a party, so being able to attend her own celebration of life is exactly how she would have wanted it. The family is comforted by the memories of so many who chose to come share that special day with us.
In short, Jo lived a life that encourages us all to savor life, to have eyes like our heavenly father’s eyes, to find joy in the mundane and see beauty in the day-to-day. She left a legacy of joy that echoes in the hearts of the generations that she left behind. The Lord’s favor was upon her and her family has benefited greatly from that blessing.
Perry Funeral Home directing.
