Elizabeth “Betsy” Lacoss Jones of Fernandina Beach passed away on October 3, 2017, surrounded by her family.
The daughter of Donald A. Lacoss and Louise Emlaw Lacoss, Betsy was born in Cumberland, Md., on May 29, 1940. The family, including older brother Dennis, soon moved to Rock Hill, S.C., where Betsy attended Winthrop Training Academy.
In Rock Hill, Betsy mastered the fine art of torturing student teachers, managed to earn a spot as a majorette in the marching band, modeled for a local department store and satisfied her love of beach music and shag dancing by sneaking off to Myrtle Beach whenever possible.
A debutante who had thank you cards written within minutes of opening a gift, purchased presents for every occasion months in advance and refused to wear white before Memorial Day, Betsy was a Tri Delta sorority sister at Duke University, where she earned a degree in math. While at Duke, she also met her future husband, Clayton W. Jones, on a blind date. After graduation, Betsy worked on computers at Bell Labs while waiting for Clayton to graduate from Duke Law School.
Married on August 29, 1964, the couple lived in cities around the world, including Atlanta, Ga., Caracas, Venezuela, Washington, D.C., the Philadelphia area, London, England, Prague, Czech Republic, Durham, N.C., Hilton Head Island, S.C., Asheville, N.C., and Fernandina Beach.
In 1985, Betsy took the Internal Revenue Service’s Special Enrollment Examination and recorded one of the top 20 test scores nationwide. When stateside, Betsy spent several seasons working as a tax preparer at H&R Block in West Chester, Pa., and at Carey & Co., P.A. on Hilton Head Island.
An avid collector favoring egg cups, sheep memorabilia and original, handcrafted jewelry, artwork and wood furniture, Betsy was also an avid reader, animal lover, bridge player and golfer with current memberships at Reems Creek Golf Club and Amelia River Golf Club.
Betsy leaves behind her husband of 53 years, Clayton W. Jones of Fernandina Beach and Weaverville, N.C.; daughter, Allyson Jones Tant of Hilton Head Island and Hardeeville, S.C.; son-in-law, John Tant and grandson Wyatt Tant; daughter, Victoria Jones of Westtown, Pa.; brother, Dennis H. Lacoss and sister-in-law, Jet Lacoss, of Atlanta, Ga.; nephews, Donald and Jim Lacoss; niece, Liane Lacoss; sister-in-law, June Browning of Madison, Fla.; nephew, Dennis Clayton Browning; niece, Sherri Browning Gonynor; as well as a number of lifelong and newfound friends.
A memorial service will be held at a later date with interment at Six Oaks Cemetery on Hilton Head Island. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Duke University Cancer Institute or The Nature Conservancy.