Longtime Upper School English teacher Marcia Scraper Jones passed away on Oct. 24. She was 71 years old.

Born in Evansville, Indiana, Marcia Kay was adopted into the Scraper family. She left her home of Petersburg, Indiana, and graduated from Purdue University with a B.A. in English. After college, she spent time in New Jersey and Iowa and developed a passion for teaching. In 1980, she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, and began teaching at Ravenscroft. 

During her remarkable 38 years teaching at Ravenscroft, Jones taught courses in American literature, English literature and composition. She served as the English Department chair for several years, where she promoted writing and critical thinking within the context of literature and philosophies from different corners of the world. Her teaching took her on adventures to England, Italy, Russia and South Africa to expand her knowledge of the world and better serve her students. She was certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Services and was also a reader for College Board’s Advanced Placement English Literature exams.

Jones was recognized for her outstanding teaching at Ravenscroft with the Helton Excellence Award in 1999 and the Qubain Award for Teaching Excellence in 2011. 

The 2018 Ravenscroft Magazine news story that included an announcement of her retirement noted that she was “a Ravenscroft institution, respected by her colleagues and adored by her students past and present.” Former colleagues and students have echoed those sentiments in sharing remembrances of her in recent days. 

Her longtime Upper School colleague Mary Beth Immediata remembered her as “a woman with heart, a valued colleague, a gifted and committed teacher, an example and my dear friend for over 30 years. 

“An avid and nuanced reader, she valued the mission of her department and cherished her English Department colleagues for their shared commitment to teaching literature as a model for clear writing and deep thinking about the human condition,” she continued. “As department chair she defended department priorities, at the same time changing the curriculum in the senior year, opening options for seniors to choose what they wanted to read and for colleagues to teach to their  areas of interest and expertise.”

Upper School colleague Bill Pruden said Jones was “the embodiment of what anyone could want — in a colleague, a teacher and a friend. While we worked together for over a quarter of a century, I still remember vividly how welcoming she, the 10-year-plus Ravenscroft veteran, was to me as I adjusted to the ways of a new place. As someone who believes deeply that the best teachers are those who connect with their students, it was clear to me from the very beginning that Marcia was a connector par excellence.”

“She challenged her students,” he added, “but she was always there to help them respond to those challenges, in many cases believing they were capable of more than they ever believed possible — thus enabling them to do previously unimagined things.”

Jones’ former students shared their memories and appreciation as well.

“Ms. Jones was one of my favorite teachers at Ravenscroft. I took AP Literature with her, and she helped strengthen my love for reading and writing,” Haley Gardner ’15 wrote. “She pushed me to be a stronger communicator, and thanks to her encouragement, I majored in journalism in undergrad. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her!”

Jones is survived by her son, Ryan ’09, his wife, Susannah, and their children, Jack and Caroline, in West Chester, Ohio; and by her sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Ted Perkins, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A service will be held in Raleigh at Christ Church, 120 E. Edenton St., on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m., with a reception to follow.

Read her published obituary and share remembrances with her family here.