Ceil Sypher Jonas, a summer resident of Blowing Rock for the past 25 years, died Dec. 12, 2012 after becoming ill at her home in Davidson.

Ceil was born in Montgomery, Ala., in 1922 and was the daughter of the late John Edwin (Jack) Sypher and the late Frankie Bostwick Sypher. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by husbands, LTJG Benjamin Marion Nash of Mt. Gilead, who died in World War II, John McLean Murphy of Lowell, and Dr. Joseph P. Smith of Gastonia.

She grew up in Charlotte and graduated from Central High School in 1939. She attended Salem College and Queens College where she joined Phi Mu sorority. While in high school she played the violin in the Charlotte Symphony.

She was a member of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church in Blowing Rock and of the Blowing Rock Country Club, and was a past member of Gaston Country Club. She was on the advisory board of the Gaston Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and served as chair of the Heart Ball in Gastonia and the Blowing Rock Fashion Show. She was a frequent model for fashion shows at various country clubs in the mountains and often modeled for Montaldo's in Charlotte.

Survivors include her husband, Ralph T. Jonas; children, Patty N. Wheeler and husband, Thaddeus Al Wheeler, of Blowing Rock, John E. Murphy and wife, Mary, of Raleigh, Ashley and Kathy Jonas of Gastonia and Tommy Jonas of Greensboro; grandchildren Stephen B. Shelley and fiancé, Theresa Sgobba of Brooklyn, N.Y., Alice Brochu of Durham and Kristin and Hunter Murphy of Raleigh.

A graveside service was held Dec. 17, 2012, at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte with the Rev. Rick Lawler officiating. Memorials may be made to Holy Angels, 6600 Wilkinson Blvd., Box 710, Belmont, NC 28012.

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