On July 13, 2022 Anita Sterling Jones, loving wife and mother of three children passed away at the age of 73.

Anita was born April 5, 1949 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Paul and Blanche Alpine (Briggs) Sterling.  Shortly after her birth the family moved to Milliken, Colorado where she grew up.  Anita graduated from Johnstown High School in 1967.

On January 12, 1970 she married Stephen Clark Jones, Jr a member of the US Navy.  They raised two sons, Stephen (CJ) and Brent and a daughter Charla.  With Clark they moved to San Diego, California, Jacksonville, Florida and returned to San Diego where CJ was born.  She joined Clark in Japan for a three year tour living in Yokohama and Nagai Heights.  Brent was born in Yokosuka and Charla was adopted from South Korea.  The family of five returned to San Diego for a year before moving to Jacksonville, Florida again.

In Jacksonville Anita enrolled the children in soccer and soon was very active in coaching and refereeing.  She also started teaching aerobics.  Her interest in refereeing soccer increased and she became one of the few women qualified in Florida to referee men’s and women’s high school games and college games.  When a referee didn’t show up for a high school game she volunteered to referee.  The only challenge, she only had heels which she wore for the entire game.

Always actively supporting her husband’s career, Anita was the President of the VS-30 Officers Wives Club.  Her efforts supporting soccer throughout Duval and Clay Counties along with her participation in local military volunteer efforts resulted in her selection as the Military Spouse of the Year in 1983.

Moving to Virginia Beach, Virginia and finally to Calvert County Maryland she continued to support her family and husband in their endeavors.  Always a presence on the sidelines of her son’s high school and competitive soccer games she was soon involved in refereeing in Southern Maryland.  Always with a sense of humor she could defuse the most tense confrontations.

During the course of her life she worked for various commercial construction and restoration firms in Jacksonville, Fl and Washington, DC firms as a Project Engineer and Project Manager.  One of the first women in commercial construction, she was recognized in various Washington, DC periodicals during the course of her career.  Her final employment was for Calvert County Maryland as the Capital Projects Manager from which she retired in 2015.

Finally residing in the Saint Leonard, Maryland on Saint Leonard Creek, Anita shared her husband’s passion for sailing and exploring the Chesapeake Bay.  She also aided in organizing a community Gourmet Club which met once a month and hosted an annual Christmas Cooking exchange.  Her humor and fun loving nature were always on display.  Anita also enjoyed gardening and observing the wildlife along the shoreline.

Anita was preceded in death by her father, mother, half-brother Paul, and brother Alston.  She is survived by her husband, Clark, and children CJ, Brent, Charla and brother Ron and sister Shirley.  In addition Anita had eleven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

The family will receive relatives and friends for a memorial service on Thursday July 28, 2022 at 1:00 PM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, located at 25 Church St., Prince Frederick, MD 20678. Funeral Arrangements entrusted by the Rausch Funeral Home of Port Republic, MD.  In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.