Jewell Melinda Bartosh

Jewell Melinda Bartosh passed away on January 29, 2017 in her home, following a short battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family. Jewell was born to Thomas Morell and Lela Cumie-Morell in Harpersville, AL on July 27, 1926. Jewell married Frank Lester Jones in Montgomery, AL and soon the couple moved to Mobile, AL where she became a mother to five children: Patsy, Frankie, Jackie, Nancy and Johnny. Later, Jewell returned to Harpersville where she and her children resided for another 5 years. Jewell then moved to Milton, FL to seek employment to raise her children. She often told the story of her interview at Chemstrand Company, a textile manufacturer. As she sat through her interview and spoke with her future boss, he commented on the fact that she had five children. He said they were “five good reasons to miss work”. And in her very determined way she replied, “They are five good reasons not to.” He hired her immediately and would frequently brag about the special woman that never missed a day’s work. She worked at Chemstrand Company for 10 years. During this time of relentless work and weekend travel to visit her family, Jewell saved enough money to buy a piece of land and build a home for herself and her children. In the days before her death she re-told the story of driving her children, and a special niece and nephew she was also raising, to the new home. The children rode over three hundred miles in the back of a borrowed pick-up truck and were all fairly sunburned by the time they arrived, however, “they were the happies kids you had ever seen”. While in Florida Jewell met and married James Michael Bartosh. The couple would eventually sell her home and make the trip across the country to settle in Cashmere in 1964. They purchased a piece of land and James built their lifelong home on Mission Creek. Once she was settled in Cashmere, Jewell began packing fruit for Blue Star where she continued to work until her retirement in 1986. At home Jewell raised cows, pigs and chickens. She tended beautiful flower beds and grew the most bountiful gardens. She was always willing to share whatever she had with family, friends and neighbors while introducing them all to the flavors of the South with her Collard Greens, Black-Eyed Peas, ham-hocks and Okra. Never too far from her kitchen, Jewell has passed down her amazing cooking skills and joy of feeding others to future generations. She always maintained she wasn’t a fancy cook, just a plain old Southern one. More memories than can be counted have been made in her kitchen with family and friends. Finding a photo of Jewell doing anything other than cooking in her kitchen is almost impossible. She once said, when her time was up, she wanted to be remembered for being a loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother and friend. Jewell was preceded in death by her sons, Frankie Jones and Jackie Jones, and by her grand-daughter, Brandi Jones-Brett. She is survived by her children, Patricia Miller of East Wenatchee, Nancy Long of Arizona and Johnny Jones of Cashmere and a daughter-in-law, Diana Jones of Kennewick; five grandchildren including: Monica Jones-Greedy of Wenatchee, Dana Thomas-VanDam of Arizona, Jake Jones and Tyson (Kayla) Jones of Kennewick and Julianna Jones-Hatch of Yelm; great-grandchildren, Evan Prue, Siri Brett, Jewell Greedy, Emma Greedy, Dagan Brett, Denali VanDam, Ella Grace VanDam, and Joseph Hatch. Extended survivors include her many cousins, nieces and nephews in whose lives she played a large role. Jewell never met a stranger, she was known to all she met and will continue to be known as “Gramma Jewell.” Upon her direct orders a Life-Party will be held. She wanted no tears to be shed for her, only smiles and happy memories. So, please join us in celebrating her life, sharing her stories and enjoying a bit of Southern comfort food on Saturday, February 4 at 1:00 pm-until 4:00 pm at Apple-Annie’s, 100 Apple Annie Ave., Cashmere. Please express your thought and memories on the online guestbook at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements by Jones & Jones – Betts Funeral Home.

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Jewell Melinda Bartosh

July 27, 1926 - January 29, 2017