Jewel Jones Dailey

Jewel Jones Dailey completed her life journey this side of glory on Monday, October 11, 2021. Jewel was born in 1920 to Dr. and Mrs. Clyde W. Jones. Dr. Jones was one of two general practitioners in a small coal mining town in Alabama. Jewel was the third child and only daughter in the family. She met Malcolm Dailey when they were elementary age children. Malcolm decided then he was going to marry Jewel and have six children. They did marry in 1940 after he completed college at the University of Alabama and they were both loyal Alabama football fans! Malcolm and Jewel began married life in Atlanta. They joined First Methodist Church where they met fellow believers who were destined to be life long friends. After several years the doctors told Jewel she would never be able to have children. In tears she called her daddy who told her, “Doctors are wonderful, but God is better! See what He says.” In 1946, God gave them their only child, a daughter, whom they named Judy. The family moved to Aiken in 1957. They joined St. John’s UMC and Jewel and Malcolm began serving both the church and the community in various ways—too many to count! Jewel had definitely received the gift of hospitality! Their home was the place for many dinners, large and small. If ever you rang the doorbell at their house you could hear Jewel calling “Woohoo!” before she ever got to the door. She didn’t want anyone to leave without being invited to come in. At St. John’s, Jewel was the unofficial greeter in addition to other official jobs. In later years, Malcolm and Jewel were asked to gather a group to visit members who were homebound or residing at nursing homes or assisted living facilities. It was appropriately called Shepherds of Love. After Malcolm died in 2011, Jewel spent most of her time “visiting the old people”. And she was older than most of the folks she visited. When it was time for her to change her residence, she knew exactly where she wanted to live—Trinity on Laurens. She moved first into independent living and later into assisted living. The people at Trinity have been a continuing blessing not only to Jewel but also to her family. We thank God for each and every one of them. Jewel is survived by her daughter Judy and son-in-law Ron, two grandchildren and their spouses (whom she loved as her very own) Drew and Amy Jernigan and Chris and Stephanie Reeves. Between those two families Jewel boasted of nine great grandchildren—Renee, Celeste, Josiah, Eliana and Camille Reeves and Ella, Eva, Eliza-Jewel and Emmie Jernigan. As Malcolm would say, were he here, ‘We finally have ourselves a real family!’ The family has already had Jewel’s Celebration of Life—on November 23, 2020, her 100th birthday. Jewel enjoyed it immensely. Remember her by smiling at people—even if you don’t know them. Her greatest gift was her ability to make you feel as if she had been waiting to see you and only you every time you came in her door. Burial will be private. Memorials made be made to Trinity on Laurens or to St. John’s UMC. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC Jewel's online guest book may be signed by visiting www.shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jewel Jones Dailey, please visit our flower store.