Lorena Ann (Novotny) Jones

Lorena Ann Novotny Jones, age 79, passed away on October 24, just two days after the passing of her beloved husband Jim.  She most surely died of a broken heart but also had suffered an extended and debilitating illness for many years. She was born in Youngstown, Ohio to Andrew Louis Novotny and Caroline Fenton Morgan (both deceased). She graduated from Youngstown High School and became a nurse in training. She worked as a cytotechnologist for many years in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and lived in Portage Lakes. Lorena was a longtime resident of Tallahassee, Florida. After moving to Tallahassee, Lorena became a real estate broker for a few years but eventually returned to her love of nursing, serving over 30 years in the nursing field.
Lorena is survived by her only daughter Allison K. Jones of Massachusetts, her sister Carol Miller, her brother Stuart Novotny, both of Ohio, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
She considered herself an autodidact and devoured books and films about the Civil War and the Holocaust. She also was a Scrabble master and handily beat anyone who dared to play her. An avid reader, her longtime goal was to read 100 books in a year, which she accomplished in 2010. She was a naturalist at heart and knew the name of every bird, bug, tree, and flower she encountered. She loved animals and birds especially, including the special Carolina Wren who sang his heart out to her every day in her garden.  She also loved the beach and spent many joyful hours there bouncing around in the waves with her family. Lorena had a life-long love of cooking and baking, which her husband Jim enthusiastically encouraged. Everyone will miss her kolache, muffins, and Christmas cookies. A graveside service will take place Thursday at 12:00 at the Girard City Cemetery.