Obituary of Isabell Jones

Isabell Nelson-Jones was born to Fred Hutchinson and Allamae Forney in Charleston, South Carolina on February 5, 1929. Charleston is known for its historic colonial homes, churches, picturesque streets, and gardens. Isabell loved her beautiful city and in her later years would watch YouTube videos with her caregivers sharing the heritage, culture and especially her favorite foods such as shrimps and grits, okra Soup, and red rice. She would exclaim, “I am a real Geechee!” Isabella honored her ancestors whose linguistic and cultural heritage continues to influence local Sea Island life. She remained true to her memories of Charleston and being a part of the Gullah-Geechee heritage. Isabell was named after her grandmother Isabell Nelson. Everyone knew she was her grandmother’s favorite little girl. While in junior high school, she moved to live with her mother Allamae who left the south, during the Great Migration, to pursue economic and educational opportunities free from the oppression of Jim Crow. Initially she moved to Harlem, New York, and then to The Bronx where she started modern dance and connected with another young lady from South Carolina, famous actor and singer, Eartha Kitt. In addition, she met her beloved Richard “Dicky” Jones at age thirteen; he was fifteen. Richard recalls that Isabell was “smart, pretty, and curvy.” They immediately became sweethearts. She attended Morris High School and played basketball, danced, and served as captain of the cheer squad. Richard loved his brilliant and beautiful girlfriend and asked her to marry him prior to his leaving for World War II. Isabell’s mother approved of the union but required her to finish school first. The couple married on September 19, 1948 – Isabell was nineteen, and Richard was twenty-one. Both labored extremely hard in those early years and together worked at night cleaning butcher shops. During the day, Isabell worked for the famous Chock Full O’ Nuts coffeehouse where she met baseball great Jackie Robinson who was then-president of personnel. Eventually Isabell and her Dicky bought a two-family house in Englewood, New Jersey. After strong encouragement from her mother, Isabell enrolled in the Harlem School of Nursing while her husband stayed home with their young son, Richard A. Jones (who preceded her in death). Isabell was at the top of her class and instantly became a leader within her cohort. She worked at landmark medical facilities in New York including Harlem Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Pelham Bay Hospital, Joint Diseases Hospital and Misericordia Hospital. She later finished her career at the University of Dentistry and Medicine in Newark, New Jersey. Isabell earned three degrees: a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a master’s in healthcare administration. She was proud to have taken care famous people including Fidel Castro, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, Melba Moore, Esther Rolle, Shaquille O’Neal, and The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls. Isabell loved to recount the instance when live chickens were delivered to the hospital for Mr. Castro. Citing sanitation concerns, she instructed the hospital chief to kill the chickens and cook them right away. Nursing was her world and Isabella loved to care for people. At age 40, Isabell had her second child, a daughter she named Raquel. Forever young, if anyone asked her age, she would reply, “20+!” Isabell was also known as “Queen” because she would tell everyone she was named after Queen Isabella and was personally responsible for giving Christopher Columbus ships to set sail. Her generosity and love for helping others were hidden behind her strong personality but those who knew her well will agree she had the biggest heart for all humanity. Isabell is survived by her 97-year-old husband Richard Jones and daughter Raquel A. Woodard; grandchildren Ricki Jones, Richard Jones, Christopher T. Woodard, Jr., Jacob A. Woodard, and Nicholas A. Woodard, and great-grandchildren Richard A Jones, IV, Isaac Lee Jones, Julianna Wright-Woodard and Gianna Woodard. We will remember and honor our Beloved Queen Mother for generations to come.