Peggy Till Jones

Peggy Till Jones, 93, of Kilgore, Texas, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 19, 2023. Peggy was born on December 28, 1929 to Felix and Viola Till in Trees, Louisiana. She was a spunky little girl, always up to something whether it be catching the house on fire to see kittens under the porch, climbing trees to sneak into the attic, breaking her arm by lighting sparklers at the kitchen stove and running outside to throw them, or writing a letter to Shirley Temple asking for some of her clothes! She graduated from Leverett’s Chapel High School in 1947 at the top of her class, where she was a flag carrier in the band, played on the volleyball team, and loved to go to the skating rink and “picture show”. She went on to study at Kilgore College and graduated in 1949.

On February 24, 1950, Peggy married Lavon Jones, who had two children together, Glenda Jones Hughes and Lewis Jones. Peggy worked in many roles over the years, with her longest tenure as the Secretary to the Director of Kilgore ISD’s Maintenance and Transportation department, where she made many lifelong friends. She also fondly kept her granddaughter after school many days at her office, teaching her how to type on a typewriter, organize office supplies, answer phones, and map bus routes...all while making sure she had a jelly sandwich ready to go as an after school treat! After retirement, Peggy loved playing cards with her circle of friends, bird watching, keeping her granddaughter after school and in the summers while she was young, working puzzles, watching the Texas Rangers play baseball (she loved Michael Young!), spending time with her beloved Cocker Spaniel named Coco, visiting her sister and brother-in-law in South Louisiana, always dressing up on Halloween to surprise her granddaughter, keeping up with all the neighborhood happenings through her binoculars, shopping and going on real estate adventures with her daughter, afternoon coffee and cake time, baking her specialties: pecan pie, sand tarts, and banana puddin’; Friday and Saturday morning garage sales, attending her two long-time churches, Highland Park Baptist and Kilgore Missionary Baptist, and spending time with her family. She loved the smell of roses, Christmas, chocolate covered cherries, Root Beer, and the season of Fall.

Peggy was preceded in death by father and stepmother, Felix and Bertha Till; mother, Viola McCollum Till; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Flynn Till and Dorothy Till Terry and Huey and Lenora Till; sisters and brothers-in-law, Valerie and M.E. Macdonell and Hortense and Bob McAdams; nephews Richard Till and Michael Till, and her dog CoCo.

She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Glenda and Jim Hughes of Longview; son, Lewis Jones of Kilgore; her only grandchild she called her angel baby, Melanie Northcutt of Longview; and cherished nieces, nephews, friends, and family members.

Peggy was strong in her faith, kind in her demeanor, giving and generous in her heart, a striking beauty her whole life, independent and loyal, and the absolute best Mother and Mimi anyone could ever dream to have.

In lieu of a service, family will receive guests during a private celebration of life. If you feel led, please send any donations in Peggy’s memory to Kilgore Missionary Baptist Church.