Maureen F. Jones 1945-2026

Born on May 8, 1945, in Niles, to the late Benjamin Harlow Jones and Norah Elizabeth Welsh, Maureen was a lifelong resident of Niles. Growing up as one of 10 siblings, Maureen learned early what it meant to be a part of something bigger than herself. That sense of family never left her. She carried it into everything she did, whether it was showing up for her nieces and nephews or cracking a joke; she was quick-witted. Her life was a tapestry woven with love, laughter and an unwavering devotion to her nieces and nephews, and she was very proud to be a great-great-aunt.

A couple of light-hearted stories about Maureen: when she was 4 years-old, she had an imaginary friend named Junior Alley. Maureen and Junior spent the days fishing. She would get a stick, tie a string around it, find a puddle and fish the afternoon away. One day she was with our dad, he asked Maureen if she knew where Junior lived. She said, “Yes,” and pointed to a random house with a car pulling into the driveway. She said, “He’s not home.”

When Maureen was 6 years old, she sang solo in a school play, “Me and My Teddy Bear.” She was a star that day to my mom and dad. Broadway, here she comes! Maureen was named after Maureen O’Hara and Faye Emerson, two movie stars of the 1950s.

Maureen was a proud graduate of Niles McKinley High School and a member of St. Pope John XXIII ParisH-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. After graduating, Maureen was hired at the Metropolitan Bank in Youngstown, as a bank teller. Though she briefly stepped away to explore a job at Packard Electric, she realized factory work was not for her. After she quit Packard, she regretted that decision and returned to the bank.

A few years later, at the request of her sister, Elaine, Maureen moved to Columbus to help care for her niece and nephew, Betsey and Andrew; it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. She was quickly nicknamed “Aunt Mars Bars.” During this time, her brother-in-law, Andy, worked for the state of Ohio, where he was a principal at a juvenile diagnostic center. He offered her a job as an aide to the English teacher. When she learned Maureen knew her grammar, she let her teach the class, as Maureen was the only person she ever heard say she loved to diagram sentences.

Maureen returned home to Niles, where she worked at Super K in receiving, retiring after over 30 years. She was a pillar of the workplace, renowned for her work ethic and, of course, her sense of humor. Maureen made lasting friends and kept in touch after her retirement.

Maureen’s sister, Debbie, wishes to extend her gratitude to all of the family for their support, especially her nephew, Joseph DePizzo and his wife, Kari and son, Patrick; sister-in-law, Charmaine Jones; her two nieces, Shelly (Jones) Payich and Susan Vadino; and a dear friend, Gloria Faith.

Maureen was preceded in death by her siblings, Donald Harlow, Kathleen Ann Davis, Norma Jean DePizzo, Elaine Starinchak, twin brothers, Michael Edward and Benjamin Franklin, Mary Margaret “Peggy” and Douglas Matthew; and her cherished and beloved nieces and nephews, Linda Ann (Davis) Bobovnyk, Pamela Sue (Tocco-Davis) O’Connell, Mark Allen O’Connell, Andrew John Starinchak and Douglas Matthew Jones Jr.

A celebration of Maureen’s life will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, July 31, 2026, at the Niles City Cemetery Chapel.

“Raise a glass of wine and tell a funny story in her honor. I miss you, sister, so much. Love you.”

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Trumbull County Democratic Party.

Arrangements were handled by The Joseph Rossi and Sons Funeral Home in Niles.

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