06/04/2026
✨ A Life Well Lived: Remembering Jewell ✨
Jewell will forever live in our hearts.
Jewell never missed an activity in our community. She embraced each day with hope and joyful expectation—always ready and eager to join in, unless, of course, it involved eating fish or chocolate. Her smile, laughter, and quick wit kept all of us smiling too. We never knew what clever remark or heartwarming story she would share next.
As I gathered photos this week, I discovered more than 300 snapshots of Jewell. I've narrowed them down to share with her family and friends, but each image captures more than a moment in time—it captures a life beautifully lived. Jewell didn't just make memories for herself here; she gave all of us memories we will cherish forever.
During our daily devotionals, Jewell often shared testimonies of God's faithfulness. We marveled at her unwavering trust and the challenges she had overcome. Clearly, it was her strong faith, planted early in life, that became the blueprint for navigating every season that followed. Even when life was difficult, Jewell never complained. She chose joy.
I will always remember kneeling beside her chair after she suffered a painful injury from a fall—one that often takes months to recover from. Even then, she looked at me with that familiar sparkle in her eyes and that unforgettable grin and said, "God is so good." I can still hear her voice and see her face in that moment. Within a week, there she was again, walking down the hallway with her walker as though nothing had happened.
"If you can't trust God, who can you trust?" she would often say with that wide smile. And trust Him she did—with the simple, childlike faith that defined her life.
When I think of Jewell, I am reminded of Philippians 4:11: "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Jewell was a beautiful picture of contentment. She took life in stride, remained patient and kind, and consistently demonstrated the love of Christ in all she said and did. She embodied true humility. I have never met anyone more faithful.
Jewell loved sharing her testimony. "A little neighbor girl invited me to church," she would say, "and when I heard about a man who had suffered on a cross and died for us, I thought, 'I want a friend like that.' And that's when I gave my life to Jesus."
Jewell never sought attention for herself, but her life was an open book—one that taught all of us how to live. Through her example, she showed us that a life centered on faith, love, and devotion to Jesus Christ is a life well lived.
She was the sweetest soul, a true friend to all, and if you knew her, you know she lived up to her name—a real jewel. She made this community better simply by being part of it, and we are all better for having known her. She and her wonderful family were a light and a blessing to all of us.
Many mornings, Jewell would say, "Every day I tell God, 'I'm ready when You are.'"
As we reflect on her life, may we find comfort in knowing she fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. And now, she is safely home—right where she longed to be. ❤️
—Mary Kay Rice
