Marzee V. (Breeden) Jones

Marzee V. (Breeden) Jones

Age 92, of Indianapolis, passed away, June 21, 2016. Marzee was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, the daughter of William H. and Anna Katherine (Pettycrew) Breeden, Sr. She supported the war effort by participating in the USO while waiting for the return of her beloved John during World War II. She was a cashier with Indiana Bell, an accountant with Hood Shoes, an instructor for East Side Art and Southside Ceramics, and proprietor of Ceramics by Marzee. She was a member of Emerson Avenue Baptist Church where she had served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Teacher.

Marzee is predeceased by her husband, John Charles Jones; brother, William H. Breeden, Jr.; and parents William H. and Anna K Breeden, Sr. She is survived by her; son, Robert Jones and his wife Mary; daughter Carol Wiker and her husband Bob; 7 grandchildren (Bobby [Isabel], Michael [Shannon], Buddy [Margaret], Christine [Thayron], Sarah, David, and Rachael) and 19 great-grandchildren (Joshua, Jeremy, Jonny, Emily, Ashley, Shane, Zachary, Keith, Megan, Sebastian, Chaz, Jacob, Victoria, Hailey, Tyler, Amy, Annabelle, Catherine, and Josephine), and several nieces and nephews.
She was an avid supporter of youth serving as Assistant Den “Mother” (currently known as Den Leader) in Daniel T. Weir School 71 PTA Pack 422, Room Mother, PTA member, and Vacation Bible School Teacher. She could magically produce a batch of cookies overnight for a school party the next day. She helped Girl Scout Troops earn their Pottery Merit Badge.

Her nickname was “The Frog Lady” received by someone searching through the Chamber of Commerce for “the ceramist who made all the frogs.” She was well known for her ceramic frogs, Christmas trees, and Cherubs. She involved her husband and between the two of them most everything would light up, play music, or move. One was stubborn – the other determined and neither would own up to their own trait.
She was multi-talented playing in the Accordion Band, xylophone and marimba in the Tech High School Band, piano, and organ. Before the day of colored pictures she would paint the black and white photos. She was honored by Marc Belair, a famous ceramist who traded one of his pieces for one of hers. When she closed her ceramic studio, she had over 100 students per week.

She loved life and people. Her philosophy was if you can make one person laugh each day you have accomplished something. After one particularly heavy snow storm, she and her children built a snow bunny rather than a snowman! She spent a lot of time with and entertaining her children ensuring they experienced the simple pleasures in life such as fishing, camping in the backyard, coloring on paper napkins during lunch breaks, spring loading vitamins in lunch boxes, and secretly placing light-sensored music boxes in the bathroom. On hot summer days she would spread a sheet on the floor for her children to play on while she continued to clean and cook in a dress and hose. After her first knee surgery she was known to lose her crutches. She had a sixth sense about her children knowing when they were sick or troubled even though they were hundreds of miles away.

She recognized and encouraged each child, grandchild, and great grandchild for their own individual talents. There was little the grandchildren could do wrong.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Friday, July 8, 2016, at Flanner and Buchanan-Washington Park East. Visitation 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Friday, July 8, 2016, at the funeral home. Entombment Washington Park East Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Emerson Avenue Baptist Church or Crossroads of America Scout Band, 5423 Mark Lane, Indianapolis, IN, 46226.