Ethel Josephine (Cowan) Jones, 94, of Newburyport, passed away Sunday, November 12, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of the late Howard T. Jones.

She was born in New York City on June 21, 1929, and was the daughter of the late Thomas and Signe (Olauson) Cowan. Signe drowned when Ethel was 2 years old. Her mother's sister, Olga, moved in with them to help raise Ethel who looked up to Olga (who the family called Mormor) as a mother.

Ethel was raised in the Bronx and was a graduate of Walton High School in New York, class of 1947.

She married Norman Gunnar Anderson on March 26, 1949.  The family resided in West Hartford, CT where Susan was born. Norman died on June 3, 1952, of Lupus.

She then married Howard Trent Jones on June 19, 1954. The family resided in Connecticut where Casey was born.  The family left Connecticut and moved to Pittsburgh, PA where Scott was born.  Then to Brookfield, WI and then to Boxford, MA and back to Pittsburgh, PA. These moves were necessitated by Howard's job as an engineer for General Electric Company.

Ethel and Howard eventually retired to Haverhill, MA to be near their children and grandchildren.

Ethel loved family and worked hard to stay connected as she and Howard moved to different states and as her children grew up and moved away. She also loved sewing, quilting, braiding rugs, knitting, gardening, reading, and crossword puzzles.  Ethel made afghans and quilts for all her children and grandchildren.  She was an excellent cook and made taking care of the house look easy. She liked nothing better than to sit outside in the summer afternoon sun with a glass of iced tea and a good crossword puzzle. Ethel's favorite color was red because, as she said, it made her feel brave.

She also loved walking. She walked around the lake in North Park, PA (5 miles) 4 to 5 times per week. She also enjoyed swimming and was a member of the Sewickley Valley YMCA for many years, swimming laps twice per week.

Ethel is survived by her children Susan Cronin and her husband Robert of Newburyport, MA, Casey Blais of Manchester, NH, and Scott Jones and his wife Corinne of Guadalupe as well as her grandchildren Faye Moyer, Benjamin Moyer and Kelly Blais, and her great granddaughter Scout Moyer.

Her funeral service and interment will be held privately.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sewickley Valley YMCA, 625 Blackburn Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143.

Below is a link to donate online to the YMCA.  There is a drop-down menu to choose a gift in memory of an individual, and Ethel Cowan Jones can be entered there.

https://sewickley.recliquecore.com/donate/campaign/19981/