Dr. Raycine Jones

The color blue is the color of the sky, and the color of the ocean, and the favorite color of Dr. Raycine Jones. It's hard to imagine a world where she didn't exist, because Dr. Jones was the kind of person that truly influenced things and people for the better. She wanted "things" to be better. Not just for herself, but for everyone she loved.

Born March 9, 1951, in Quitman, Georgia, Dr. Raycine often referred to herself as a "real Georgia peach." A Georgia girl. Georgia born and raised, Georgia baptized, and she pursued higher education at Savannah State College, as it was known at the time, a historically black college located in Savannah, Georgia. It was at Savannah State where she would receive her undergraduate degree and pledge Zeta Phi Beta, a historically Black sorority — one of her proudest accomplishments. Subsequently, she would acquire a master's degree from Troy State, followed by a professional doctorate in education from Nova University. Dr. Jones was a very intelligent woman, but her intelligence was reflected most in her passion and commitment to learning more.

Dr. Jones was a professional woman. She loved the idea of making her own money and having a career. There wasn't much she loved more than her children, but she sure did love her independence. Her career spanned education at most levels. A schoolteacher, a college professor, a community leader — Dr. Jones was going to make sure somebody learned something, and she did. There were late nights when she taught statistics at Salt Lake Community College and Sunday mornings when she taught Sunday school at True Vine Baptist Church. In 2017, Dr. Jones moved to Maryland, where she would continue her career in education for Charles County Public School before retiring. Looking through some of the work of her old students during this time has painted a very vivid picture of the connection Dr. Raycine had with the children she taught.

Dr. Jones had a big heart and a lot of love to give. Her eldest granddaughter can recall her grandmother saying that "love isn't shown in saying the words 'I love you,' it's shown in your actions." There wasn't a time when she wasn't helping someone in need; however, she never required recognition or accolades for her service to the community. She was the kind of person to whom community service came naturally. She instilled this into all of her children. Dr. Jones always stopped to look for money in her purse for the guy who rings the bell at Christmas time. She was the kind of person who knew if you needed it and she had it, she would give it to you. Dr. Jones would've given the shirt off her back if she knew it would keep someone warm. She was just that kind of person.

She was complex, yet she was able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life that gave it meaning. Everyone had a crocheted scarf, blanket, or hat. If she liked you, probably all three. With raisins, with coconut, and plain were the sweet potato pie orders she had to fill as demanded by her children. Raycine Jones had a bottomless love for her children: William McGhee II, her eldest son; Ralette McGhee, her daughter; and her youngest son, Taurus McGhee. The three agree that the loss of their mother has left them numb. Oddly enough, they described her as always being present. Dr. Jones was the kind of woman who prioritized managing perception, but she was very aware that she was like that. She was an observant woman; Dr. Jones enjoyed observing things and people. She observed the three of her children often, and she adored the way their bond as siblings has evolved.

Dr. Raycine's five grandchildren also grieve the loss of their grandmother: Taurus-Imani Jones, her eldest granddaughter; Nazir Rayfield Achecar-Jones, her eldest grandson; Elijah Nayib Achecar, her youngest grandson; Natalia Raycine Achecar, her second granddaughter; and Sage McGhee, her third granddaughter. Dr. Jones held a very important position in each of her grandchildren's lives, and the weight of her absence will be heavy for a very long while.

Her great-grandsons, Quincy Emil Achecar-Jones and Kyler Nazir Achecar, though deeply loved by their great-grandmother, will not get to experience the beauty, wonder, or intrigue of their great-grandmother. Instead, they will get to hear their family tell stories and talk about her with a particular fondness, and they will feel their grandmother. They will feel how important she was to her family.