Elease Cooper Jones

Elease Cooper Jones was born on February 17, 1933, in Climax, Georgia, a blessing to her parents, Harvey Cooper and Cora Lee Evans Hinson. From the very beginning, God’s hand was upon her life, guiding her steps, shaping her spirit, and preparing her for the purpose she would so faithfully fulfill.

She received her early education in the public schools of Decatur County, Georgia, and graduated from Mount Moriah High School in Attapulgus, Ga. With a heart for children and a gift for nurturing, she followed God’s calling into education. After moving to Albany, Georgia, she earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Albany State University and later completed her Master of Education at Georgia State University.  Teaching was her ministry.   For 32 years — first in Decatur County and then in Worth County — she poured love, patience, and wisdom into the lives of her students. Her classroom was a place of encouragement, structure, and joy, and countless children blossomed under her care.

God also blessed her with a lifelong partner in Willie Lee Jones. What began as a friendship grew into 68 years of holy matrimony — a union marked by devotion, laughter, and unwavering faith. Together, they raised three daughters, Tynese, Dedra, Donna, and Lekenya (Granddaughter), and built a home where love was abundant and God was always at the center.

Elease became a steadfast member of Bethel AME Church in Albany under the leadership of Rev. Benjamin Gay.  She served faithfully as a member of Choir #2 and as president of Stewardess Board #2. Her service was quiet but powerful — the kind that strengthens a church family and honors God through consistency, humility, and grace.

Family was her ministry as well. As the matriarch of the Evans family, she believed deeply in unity.  She organized family reunions with intention and prayer, ensuring that her family stayed connected, uplifted, and rooted in love.  She understood that family was a gift from God, and she treated it as such.

Elease expressed love in the most tangible ways — especially through food.  If you stepped into her home, you were welcomed with love, fed, and sent away with a plate.  Hospitality was her spiritual gift, and she used it generously.  She and Willie also shared a love for gardening, proudly tending tomatoes, peppers, and their beloved homemade pepper sauce — small joys that reflected the abundance of their life together.
Her greatest earthly treasures were her husband, her daughters, and later her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She delighted in nurturing them, celebrating them, and covering them in prayer.  Her love was steady, unconditional, and deeply rooted in her faith.

On January 30, 2026, the Lord called Elease from labor to reward, reuniting her with her beloved Willie. Though her earthly journey has ended, her spirit lives on — in the lessons she taught, the love she gave, and the faith she modeled so beautifully.

She leaves to celebrate her life and carry her legacy forward: her daughters, Tynese Jones, Dedra Evans (Greg), and Donna Hall (Keith); her grandchildren, LeKenya Nesbitt, Kedon Hall (Amber-Fiancée), Kamille Hall and Kendal Evans, and her great-grandsons, Camron Nesbitt and Chase Nesbitt. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Delta Leroy Hinson (Gail); her sister, Dorothy Henry Sutton;  sister-in-laws, Macy Owens and Willie Mae Gadson,  her goddaughters, Subrina Mathews and Patricia Parker; her step-daughters Annie Leah Jones, Alice Ruth Jones Hendricks, Willa Jones Merritt, Sandra Jones Paschal, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, and friends who will forever cherish her memory.

Her life was a testimony.  Her love was a blessing.  Her legacy is a light that will continue to shine.

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