Ardelia Arenthia Jones - Koonce was born in Brooklyn, NY, on Monday, May 5, 1930, to her parents, Ralph Josiah Jones and Lola West. Lola transitioned when Ardelia was only 2 years old, therefore she didn't have the opportunity to know her mother. Ardelia's 4 Brothers, Ralph, Edgar, Arthur and Harold preceded her in death. She had 3 Sisters, Mary, Alice-Pochantis (Pokie) and Patricia; 2 of them, Mary and Alice-Pochantis also preceded her in death. Her Father subsequently married Lousetta Smith-Jones who raised Ardelia and her siblings.

Ardelia attended Decatur JHS in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn. She also took several courses in Bookkeeping and Accounting. She fell in love at a young age and married Clarence Koonce. Their marital union was blessed with 3 children, Robert, Kenneth-Clarence (Talib Hakim), and
Renee-Victoria and they preceded her in death. Later she met Warren Hockett and they were blessed with a son, Warren Corey.
Ardelia, (a single Mother of four), worked various jobs to raise her children. She was employed by Macy's, Gimbels and the United States Post Office as a letter carrier. She was a devoted Mother, Grandmother and Aunt. She was lovingly known as "Aunt Sis." Her Family and Friends called her "Sista." Ardelia also possessed a strong, but firm demeanor, which made her 5'4'' stature stand out. Her style of dress was always impeccable. From the way she curled her hair, styled her big afro, and adorned her long sharp natural fingernails to the classy clothes that she wore, made her vintage to this day.

Ardelia loved to travel. She traveled to Hawaii, the Bahamas, Bermuda and various other locations. She traveled with her two sisters, Mary and Alice. They were known as "the three Amigos." She went on cruises with her daughter Renee, her cousin Bernice and her family, her niece Denize and her son Denzel, her great niece Candance and a multitude of her friends. Ardelia loved being by the water. She would take her children on trips to Coney Island Beach on a regular basis, where they played in the sand and went for dips in the water. After the sun went down they would spend time at the amusement park, playing games and getting on the ferris wheel and roller coasters. Ardelia took up crocheting and she skillfully crochet hats, scarves and blankets and gifted them to family and friends. Everyone asked her to make them a hat. She made Talib's Kufis. This inspired her niece Denize and her daughter-n-law Angie to pick up the needles and yarn. Their clothing designs were in such great demand, that they began selling them as a side hustle.

Ardelia was very resourceful. In the mid 70's, she put together enough money to purchase her first home. A duplex Brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She decorated her home with the same flare as she dressed. Her love for plants was immediately recognized once you entered the house. She had plants hanging by the windows and all over the house. Her plants were her buddies. She would always be talking to them. She lived there approximately 25 years before venturing south to College Park, GA., near her son Talib and his Family. There, she helped him with the bookkeeping component of his Taxi business. Her Sister, Pokie also moved to Georgia where she purchased her own home. After a brief stay in Georgia, through the encouragement of her daughter Renee, she ventured further south to Palm Coast, FL. In 1997, she broke ground on her second house. This was a major achievement for her as she watched her home being built. Here she met Gail & Janet, her neighbors and became friends. They would get up early in the morning and go out for their walks before it got too hot. They also attended various social functions together. Ardelia's strong Catholic faith brought her to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, where she continued her worship in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not long after, Renee and Bobby decided to move their families to Palm Coast. Nothing could keep them away from their beloved mother. Now, she shall reunite with them in the Heavens and Stars, while they sit at the table with family again. One of her favorite sayings was, "See you later, alligator."

Ardelia Jones Koonce entered the sunset of life at her residence  on Sunday, July 11, 2021 at her residence.

Those who survive her and cherish her memories: sister: Patricia Jones; son: Warren Corey Koonce; granddaughters: Tonya, Adrienne, Chimere, Crystal, Michelle, Karen, Fatimah, and Brianna; grandsons, Kenneth-Jr, Shawn, Jamil, Shafi, Lamar, Faquir, and Corey; and a host of great-grandchildren; nieces: Tina, Judith, Dihan, Lysa, Tia; nephews: Strafe, Craig, Marcel, and Denzel; a host of great nieces and great nephews; son-in-law: Jimmy; 3 daughters-in-law: Rhea, Angie and Fareda. Through her survivors, memories of her will last forever.