Lynneth Sherman Jones

Obituary of Lynneth Sherman Jones

Lynneth Sherman Jones, affectionally known as Lynn, was born November 9, 1932 in Charleston, WV, the daughter of the late William and Tiny Mae Grigsby. Lynn was the second of three children and was preceded in death by her two brothers, Bertram and Touissant.

Lynn was a lover of music and took to playing the violin as a child. In fact, she took private lessons from seventh through the twelfth grade and was first chair in her school orchestra at Westinghouse High School, the same high school that also graduated in her generation

jazz greats such as Mary Lou Williams, Errol Garner, Billy Strayhorn and Ahmad Jamal.

Upon graduation, Lynn took up employment at Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity house at Carnegie Mellon University where she served as a “house mother,” cooking and cleaning for the residents. A few years later she met the man of her dreams, Arthur L. Jones, through a cousin whom she visited during school breaks. Arthur (Art) was a World War II veteran and worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Detroit. Lynn and Art hit it off and were engaged in 1955 when she moved to Detroit to be near Art. Lynn then converted to Catholicism, and they became one flesh when they married on October 13, 1956. They were married for 46 years until Art’s passing in 2003. To this union, God granted nine children. 

After raising her nine children Lynn shared in her writings, “I love my children. I live through them.” She fed her children well, both physically and spiritually. She was the consummate homemaker who prepared a homemade dinner seven days a week. She shared also in her writings, “while it was a rarity to have steak, my children did not grow up on beans.” She acknowledged that her “stories” (soap operas) and listening to what her children called “elevator music” while preparing dinner, greatly helped her get through each day with nine children. Family was everything to her. When asked what she wanted in life when she was younger, her response was not to be a professional musician or some other career endeavor. No, Lynn simply said, “I want to get married, and I want to have a big family.” Later on in life she lamented, “my first wish is for my children to have the jobs they want and to do it well; to make enough money to take care of themselves and their families, to be happy, and to have what they want. My second wish is for them to experience peace and love.” 

Lynn went on to glory February 18, 2025, at the age of 92. She leaves as part of her legacy five sons, Norbert, Michael, William (Lisa), Nicholas, and Joseph (Jessie); four daughters, Alice (Bill), Deborah, Antoinette, and Alicia (Will); sixteen grandchildren, Brion (Nicole), Mark (Petra), Eric (Kami), Erica (Marco), Jontae, Siobahn, Michael, Jr., Kyle (Hannah), Coleman (Stacy), Madison, Paige, Miles, Walter (Jillian), Mason, Ryan, and her “Boo,” Micaela; thirteen great-grandchildren, Brittany, Kristopher, Jacob, Alonzo, Andrew, Breanna, Elijah, Amarys, Carter, Isaiah, Eric, Jr., Dynver, and Anuri; nieces and nephews, and a host of relatives.