Jill Marie Jones Credits Her Late Mother’s “Strength” for Shaping the Woman She Is Today

If you've been inundated into the world of classic Black sitcoms, chances are Girlfriends is part of your zeitgeist. One of the early 2000s' most successful series starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones, Persia White, and Golden Brooks remains a comfort watch for many who enjoy hilarious takes on friendships and other relationships. While the show's fans can appreciate the characters for who they are, Jill's character, Antoinette "Toni" Childs (sometimes Garrett).

During her seven-year run on Girlfriends, Jill captured the essence of Toni's gold-digging and sometimes selfish ways perfectly. Since her time ended on Girlfriends, she's gone on to play other characters on OWN's Delilah and Showtime's The Chi. However, in 2024, she opened up about the real-life loss of her mother, Gloria Underwood Jones.

Here's what to know about Jill's mother.

Jill was born in Dallas, Texas, to her mother, Gloria, and her father, who is also deceased. In an October 2024 post about her dad, she explained that her parents divorced when she was young. In a 2021 interview with 21Ninety, Jill shared that her mother raising her and her sibling was a memory that carried her through into her adult life.

"When I think of myself, I always think of my mother," she told the outlet. "She was a federal investigator for 40 years and a single mother of two children. I gained strength from her. She showed me, as a young girl, how to be a strong Black woman. I was prepared for this life in many ways."

In May 2024, Jill confirmed that her mother had died. She didn't share what happened to her mother and instead posted a photo tribute to her mom posted to her Instagram account. Jill received several condolences for her loss, many of which came from people who were experiencing the same grief.

"Next week will be 4 years for me… I am so sorry for your loss, Jill," The Joe Budden podcast co-host Melyssa Ford wrote. "Sending you love and healing energy, sis."

"I’m so sorry this time has come. It’s never easy," another user wrote. "She is no longer suffering and has arrived home. I pray that God bestows peace and comfort upon you. Rest in Heaven."

Several months after her mother's death, Jill shared the lovely way one of her fellow Girlfriends alums made the day special. In an Instagram post, she shared multiple slides of her reuniting with her co-star, Jason Pace. Fans of the show will recall Jason played Jill's character Toni's husband, Dr. Todd Garrett. On the show, they had a child together, Morgan, before divorcing in Season 6.

Although Todd and Toni didn't work out, Jill confirmed she and Jason were doing just fine. She shared in her post that Jason called her on Christmas because he knew the holiday would be challenging without her mom.

"Being completely transparent… yesterday was a bit rough for me… it being the first Christmas without my Mom," Jill wrote. "My Dear Friend and TV Hubbie @thejasonpace called to check up on me and so kindly invited me to dinner at his home with his lovely family."

The actor said some of the highlights from her Christmas at Jason's was being treated to dinner by his daughter, who she called "the next Julia Child." She also showed Jason's sons some of the saga of Todd and Toni's relationship.

"I was also made aware that his sons (Jake and Dean) had never seen their father on Girlfriends… so I definitely had to change that! LOL!!!" Jill exclaimed. "We watched a couple. Lots of Laughs. Lots of Love."

While she was without her mother, seeing the Girlfriends cast is just as close as we imagined them to be was a Christmas treat!