Doris M. Jones

Doris M. Jones, age 88, Almedia, Bloomsburg, died at 3:05 a.m. on Thursday, July 3, 2009 at the Bloomsburg Hospital, where she had been a patient for six days. She had been a resident at Loyalton of Bloomsburg for 1½ years prior.

Born on July 13, 1920, in Rush Twp., Northumberland Co., she was a daughter of the late Percy C. and Laura (Reed) Swank. She had resided in the Bloomsburg area for 70 years.

Doris was a 1938 graduate of Sunbury High School, and a 1941 graduate of the former Bloomsburg Hospital School of Nursing. Her class was the last to be given an oral examination.

She was employed as a registered nurse at the Bloomsburg Hospital and at Mt. Desert Island, Maine. Upon her return to Bloomsburg she did private duty nursing at the Bloomsburg Hospital and Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Doris was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Espy. She also sang with the Susquehanna Chorale for several years, and served on the founding board of the Columbia County Visiting Nurses Association.

She is survived by two daughters: Linda D., wife of Ted E. Pennebaker, Bloomsburg and Kathy S. Jaser, Bloomsburg; five grandchildren: Dawn, wife of Grant Irvin, Ashburn, Va.; Todd Pennebaker, Bloomsburg; Angela Stark, Jersey Shore; Jenny, wife of Andy Berkheiser, Williamsport and Joseph Jaser, Williamsport; eight great-grandchildren; and five siblings: Donald Swank, wife Mellina, Danville; Jean Faust, Snydertown; Glenn Swank, Danville; Virginia Knouse, Midwest City, Okla. and Laura Knouse, Chambersburg.

Doris was preceded in death by two husbands: Lyle W. Smith on July 23, 1970 and Evan W. Jones, Jr. on April 2, 2004 and by an infant sister, Mary.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. in Elan Memorial Park, 5595 Old Berwick Rd., Bloomsburg (Lime Ridge), with her pastor, the Rev. Gordon E. Smith, officiating. There will be no viewing.

The family will provide flowers. Memorials may be sent to any of the following: The Bloomsburg Hospital, 549 E. Fair St., Bloomsburg; St. John Lutheran Church, 2575 Old Berwick Rd., Bloomsburg; Columbia-Montour Hospice, 410 Glenn Ave., Bloomsburg, PA 17815 or to a charity of the donor's choice.