The Northside neighborhood already misses Mary Norwood Jones.
Friends speak of her outgoing personality. Acquaintances remember the neighborhood watch meetings she organized every month. Even strangers recall the woman who often ambled down their streets picking up scraps of litter.
After Jones75 died on Feb. 2 board members of Empowerment Inc. a local grass roots development organization made plans to secure her place in the community indefinitely.
This May three Chapel Hill-Carrboro area high school students will be the first recipients of the Mary Norwood Jones Scholarship" which grants $500 toward further education.
""Our intent is to honor her with someone who understands her spirit and her work"" said Delores Bailey, executive director at Empowerment.
Bailey stressed the work Jones did to help the Northside community.
She single-handedly cleaned up this neighborhood" Bailey said. She cared a lot about educating children" making sure they don't end up on the streets.""
Mildred Council" owner of Mama Dip's restaurant" knew Mary Norwood Jones from early childhood.
""She was a real responsible character" real talkative a community person she said. She would have said 'I've done what I done because I saw the need" and I'd like to leave it at that.'""
Jones' sister" Martha Atwater Barbee recalled her sister" mentioning a worn photograph of the pair as toddlers - ""back when we were pretty.""
She said she thinks the scholarship is a perfect way to remember Jones' community involvement.
""We all in our own way have contributed so much"" but my sister did such a terrific job.""
Bailey said the scholarship will go to students who are associated with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro" in an ethnic minority financially needy and avid community volunteers.
Bailey also noted that because many potential scholars have studied in substandard school environments academic strength will not be a primary consideration.
The scholarship's mainly intended to continue Jones' legacy" she said.
""Our job is to pass along what she cared about.""
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