Keta Cecelia Jones

Keta Cecelia (Becker) Jones died Friday, Aug. 10, 2007. She was born Oct. 11, 1942, in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of Charles and Ethel Becker. Surviving family include her four daughters, Cecelia Jones Pan of Arlington, Mass., Angela Alura Jones of Mechanics Falls, Maine, Jennifer R. Jones, of Concord, and Kellie Jones, of Quincy, Mass. She also leaves behind four grandchildren, Keagan and Delaney Collins, of Concord; Alexander Pan of Arlington, Mass., and Christina Haskell of Mechanics Falls, Maine. She leaves her sisters, Jolura Hall of Dayton, Ohio, Neota Brady of Schwartz, Tex., Lana Gross and Marie Beimly, both of Vandalia, Ohio; and her sister-in-law, Janet Myers, of Miamisburg, Ohio. She was predeceased by her brother, Jack Myers. Keta was called to the ministry at the age of 37. She attended Bangor Theological Seminary while raising her four daughters. Following seminary, The Rev. Jones served at the First Parish Church in Jamesport, N.Y. She settled in New Hampshire after becoming minister at the Francestown Community Church, where she remained for 10 years until her retirement. Keta had a passionate and long devotion to peace and social justice, and she was an activist for many causes that were dearly important to her throughout her life. She raised her children to be politically aware, and she often brought along one or more of her daughters to protests and demonstrations. According to family legend, her daughter Jennifer's first words were "Power to the people!" Each of her daughters learned how to make the peace sign at a very young age. She participated in an anti-war sit-in at the Federal Building in Bangor, Maine, as well as anti-nuke protests at the Groton Nuclear Submarine Base in Connecticut. She was the chair of the Bangor McGovern for President campaign, and was a founding member of Clergy and Laity Concerned, an anti-nuclear proliferation group. Her proudest moment, perhaps, came Dec. 5, 2005: the day she was finally arrested. On that date, Keta joined seven other activists - the so-called "Concord 8" - in a visit to Senator Gregg's office, where they hoped to talk with the senator about his support for what she considered the immoral war in Iraq. The senator was not available; the Concord 8 said that they would wait until he was available. While the senator did not arrive, the police did, and the Concord 8 were arrested and charged with criminal trespass. She was ultimately found guilty and given a suspended fine; to her lasting regret, she did not go to jail. Keta had a deeply irreverent and dry sense of humor, as well as a sense of the absurd. She loved music and she loved to laugh; she raised her daughters on a steady diet of The Smothers Brothers, Bill Cosby, and the Kingston Trio. More recently, she loved to watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. She was a natural storyteller and found sustenance, as well as an audience for her memories and the occasional political tirade, with family and those she welcomed as family. Her greatest passion had been being "Mema" to her grandchildren, as well as other children in her extended family. She provided love, songs, stories and nurturing. She also supplied an appreciation for making mischief, and more than a dollop of leftist-leanings to her grandchildren. They were her joy. Keta was a woman of strength and character; she was also feisty. She preached equality, justice, and kindness, and she practiced what she preached. Upon Keta's request, her body has been cremated by the Cremation Society of New Hampshire. Memorial services will be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at South Church, UCC at 27 Pleasant St. in Concord. Keta was a member of the Boscawen Congregational Church, UCC, and she served as interim minister there summer of 2006. Her family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to her church at 12 High Street, Boscawen 03303. The family also welcomes donations in her honor at Concord Regional Visiting Nurses Association's Hospice House at 250 Pleasant St., Concord 03302-1797.