Year End Giving
Remembering "Granny"
A Gift From Beyond the Grave

    "My mother, Bessie H. Jones, was a wonderful mother and friend to me all my life," said Sue Jones Byrns. "She was always interested in, supportive of, and loving toward her four grandchildren. I wanted to let others know of her goodness and decided to make a gift of her home to the church."

    Because of her family's devotion and generosity, the Jones home was, therefore, deeded to the Stamford Saint Ann's Church after her death. The property she left behind will, as a result, perpetuate her memory and serve the people of the church she held in high regard - despite the fact that she had never presented herself for initiation into the Catholic Church.

    Bessie Jones "was a very good, generous, kind person. She always wanted to believe the best of everybody," said her daughter and her grandchildren are Catholic. And the fact that she wasn't in communion with their church never stopped her from respecting the priests who served them.

    "When we lived in Texas City, we were very fond of our Filipino priest. He became a good friend and a very special person to us," said Sue Byrns. "When my mother heard that our priest's adoptive grandfather - a Mexican man - was buried in Stamford, she went out to the cemetery to find his grave."

    As was the case in many West Texas towns at the time, the cemetery in Stamford was segregated - the graves for people of Mexican descent on one side and the graves for those who are called "Anglos" on the other side.

    Apparently the funeral home had buried someone else in the grave intended for the priest's grandfather, "so mother went down and raised cain with the director to make it right," said Sue Byrns. "He said, "Bessie, we don't take care of that side of the cemetery." so she said, "Well this is important to Father, and you're going to take care of the grave." They did."

    A woman of incredible compassion, talent, and dedication, Bessie Jones "went to her eternal home with God because she was a good a true Christian," said her daughter. "I wanted to let others know of her goodness and I know nothing that would make me feel so good except give her home to the church so my children and grandchildren can know "Granny" will always be remembered as we remembered her."