Cleta Szoke

Cleta Kay Szoke (née Jones), born on the Albright Family Farm in Brodhead, Kentucky, passed away peacefully January 19, 2025, in Doylestown, PA. She was 86 and the daughter of the late Chester Arthur and Gladys Albright Jones.
 
Cleta spent her early years in Nashville, Tennessee, attending Dan Mills Elementary and graduating from Isaac Litton High School in 1956. She pursued higher education at Lindenwood University for Women in St. Charles, Missouri, before earning her degree in Journalism from the University of Tennessee in 1960. During her senior year, she served as editor of the university newspaper, The Orange and White, a role that reflected her passion for storytelling.

After graduation, Cleta embarked on a distinguished career, working for The Methodist Publishing Company and later for the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., where she met her beloved husband, Ernest Szoke. After moving to Pennsylvania with Ernie, she became a dedicated member of the Doylestown Village Improvement Association.

Cleta had a deep curiosity about her ancestry and a profound love for all things Scottish. Her enthusiasm extended to her cherished Scottish terrier, Barclay MacGregor. In a whimsical nod to her heritage, she was once gifted a small piece of land in Scotland, granting her the title Lady Cleta Kay Jones Szoke—a distinction she treasured.

She is survived by her husband, Ernest Szoke; her brother, Chester Albright Jones of Brentwood, Tennessee; nieces: Candace Jones Laughlin of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Janice Jones Morey of College Station, Texas; nephews: Eric Albright Jones of Nashville, Tennessee, Stephen Albright Jones of Franklin, Tennessee, and Terry Stanford Jones of Ijamsville, Maryland; as well as ten great-nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Terry Jones.Cleta’s life was marked by intellectual curiosity and a love for family and community. May her memory bring comfort to all who knew her. 

All are invited to her funeral service at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 25, 2025 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 100 East Washington Avenue, Newtown, where the family will greet guests from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Cleta’s name may be made to: Bucks County S.P.C.A., P. O. Box 277, Lahaska, PA 18931.