Bobbie D. Jones

Mercedes- Bobbie Dunson Jones was born October 22, 1922 in Mission, Texas to Mary and Fred "Pop" Dunson. The youngest of seven children, she spent her childhood in the valley, graduating from Weslaco High School. She met and married R.C. Jones in 1941 while working for the Corpus Christi Caller times. After the war, Bobbie and RC moved southeast of Mercedes with their young son Ray. They began their life as farmers and had two more children: Bobbi Kaye and Barry. Those early years were full of work and extended family, with many siblings of both Bobbie and RC living within miles of each other. Bobbie not only partnered in running the family and the farm, she trained as an artist and enjoyed painting in multiple mediums throughout her life. Bobbie had many creative, intellectual and spiritual interests. She was deeply involved in First United Methodist Church as well as a significant member of Mercedes community life. While Ray was at Texas A&M, she enjoyed the Aggie Mothers club. She studied art with numerous teachers across the valley, and also Esperanto (rarely missing an opportunity to encourage others to do the same)! Bobbie received great meaning from her long membership in the Association for Research and Enlightenment, founded on the work of Edgar Cayce. She and R.C. designed their home to accommodate groups and she facilitated more than 80 workshops on topics from "Finding Your Mission in Life" to "A Search for God." She hosted a weekly study group in her home for over 40 years and was a great believer in the body-mind-spirit connection. Bobbie and R.C. loved to travel to exotic destinations like China, Israel and Egypt as well as driving across the southwest to visit family in California. They were married 56 years before his passing in 1997 and Bobbie continued to farm before turning operations over to Ray. Until recently she was still traveling, frequently joining family and friends. Always a lover of beauty, her surroundings were replete with art, nature's plants, birds and "critters" as well as her beloved dog, Cayce. Bobbie will be remembered by all who knew her for her sense of humor, her wonderful laugh and her immense capacity for blessing others. Bobbie is survived by her three children; Ray (Magdalena), Bobbi Kaye (David) and Barry (Debbie). Also grandchildren Shannon, Elisabeth, Christine, Trey, Sarah, Beka, Jordan, Morgan, Adam, Todd and great-grandchildren Spencer, Sydney, Laurel, Monica, Finley, Sadie, Hank, Jim, Alex, Luke, Lucy, Jake and baby Miles. A memorial service will be Friday, October 14 at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Mercedes.