Jonez Russell Tapley-Haslett | November 06, 1938 – January 13, 2022

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of Jonez Russell Tapley-Haslett. She was called home to heaven by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday afternoon, January 13, 2022.

Jonez is survived by her husband, William (Bill) Haslett, her two sons, Rickey Tapley and Michael (Angie) Tapley, her 3 stepsons, Blaine (Chris) Haslett, Dana (Sharon) Haslett, and Shane (Renee) Haslett. She also leaves behind her younger sister, Nancy Russell Rutledge, eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and many other nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert (Bob) and Elizabeth (Betsy) Russell and two sisters, Bobbie Jean Chrostoski and Robbie Ann Weir.

Jonez was born in Sweetlips, TN into a family of little means.  What lacked materially or financially was made up for in love and support for one another. She spent many days of her youth picking cotton and helping her mother take care of her siblings.  She helped her mother around their house with cooking and cleaning and picking up after grandparents and numerous other relatives who would live with them on occasion.

Jonez graduated in the Class of '57 from Chester County High School in Henderson, TN.  She went to work on an Internship for Western Electric in Chicago, IL the Summer she graduated but returned to Sweetlips and began working at her aunt and uncle's Diner in Bemis, TN, where she met her husband, Raymond H. Tapley Jr., while he was home on leave from the military. They soon eloped and married in Corinth, MS, where they began a loving, forty-two-year marriage. Due to Raymond being in the military, they and their two sons, Rickey and Michael, lived in many different locations around the US and abroad including Memphis, TN, Montgomery, AL, Guam, Oklahoma City, OK, Sherman, TX, and Germany. Many times, she had to be both Mom and Dad to her sons during the multiple temporary duty assignments that Raymond had to be deployed on.

She loved to cook and was very, very good at it.  She loved making desserts, especially, since, she said, she rarely got any growing up due to all the family that lived with them.  She swore that she would have dessert every night when she got married and she did!  She liked to quilt and stitched all her Grandkids their own. She was a great letter-writer; always keeping family updated when she was away from them due to her family's military relocations. While located in Germany, her family became close friends with a few other families there and they spent many great times together vacationing and playing board games such as "Wahoo".  She loved to sing in her beautiful, Alto voice.  She enjoyed playing Bunco with a group of ladies from work at American Electric/Thomas & Betts where she retired from.   She was a woman of strong faith and very resilient.  She endured and overcame many trials and hardships in her life with grace.  She was a devoted wife, a fiercely loving and protective mother, and a deeply caring sister.   She was blessed to be a doting grandmother and a giddy great-grandmother as well. Her family was her life and biggest joy. She loved to spend as much time with them as she possibly could.  Many gatherings were held in her home over the years and were enjoyed by all.  Her love and influence will be greatly missed by all who loved her and who had the privilege of being loved by her.

After Raymond's passing in 1999, Jonez married Bill Haslett in 2001 and moved to Hopkinsville, KY.  She and Bill were members at West Union Baptist Church in Gracey, KY. where they were very active with their Sunday School class. They spent time traveling and enjoyed dinners with their Sunday School class.  They also traveled to watch ballgames and enjoyed hosting bon fires and cookouts for the high school and college age girls that were on the softball teams that Bill coached in Christian County, KY and at Austin Peay College.