NATCHEZ — Natchez resident Lois Jones perhaps best can be described as a selfless person, often putting other people’s needs ahead of her own.

When The Dart landed on East Franklin Street, Jones was outside The Natchez Stewpot taking a break from helping others in the community.

Jones has been serving as a volunteer at the Stewpot for the past month. On this particular day, she arrived at the local soup kitchen at 8 a.m. and was there until the early afternoon.

“I just enjoy helping out people who need serving,” she said. “People that are running low on money, they come here.”

Jones said she got involved with the Stewpost after hearing about it from friends and family.

“I wanted to see for myself what it was all about,” she said. “The people here, they make you feel like you’ve known them for years.”

Jones moved from San Diego to Natchez two years ago to help take care of her ailing mother, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer two years ago.

Jones moved in across the street and said her mother’s spirits remain high despite her illness.

“She’s still got plenty of energy and humor,” Jones said, smiling. “It’s like she’s not even sick. She’s too strong-willed.”

Unfortunately for Jones, her mother’s cancer is not the first time a family member had been diagnosed with a severe illness.

Her son Kevin Harris was born with cerebral palsy. Doctors said Harris would only live for a year, but Harris put up a fight. Jones said her son lived to be 23 years old before he died four years.

“(Doctors) are not God,” she said. “They can’t predict when we’re going to leave this world.”

Additionally, Jones’ oldest son is diagnosed with autism and her first husband was a diabetic.

She said helping loved ones is something that just comes naturally.

“I really don’t even think about it,” Jones said. “I just do it.”