Jones, James Edward Sr.

James Edward (Ed) Jones, Sr., departed this life on Sunday, September 10, 2006 in his home surrounded by his children.

He was born in Cambria, Virginia on February 8, 1920. He was preceded in death by his parents, John W. and Mary Lucy Saunders Jones; his wife, Barbara Natalie Morgan Jones; his sisters, Mary V. Crockett, Lucy Agnes Jones, Rosetta Jones, Lettie J. Smith, and Nannie L. Griffin.

He attended Old Hill School and later graduated from Christiansburg Industrial Institute. Ed and Barbara were married and became the devoted parents of three children, Sandra Jones (Donald) Dooley of Linden, N.J., Rev. Dr. Patricia A. Jones of Alexandria, Va., and James E. Jones, Jr. of Christiansburg, Va. Ed was baptized at Schaeffer Memorial Baptist Church. He joined Asbury United Methodist Church in 1952 where he was a faithful servant. He served as Sunday School Teacher and Superintendent, Sunday School Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee and member of the United Methodist Men. He led the Wednesday night Prayer Meeting and Bible Study with Schaffer Memorial Baptist Church from its beginning in 1980 until health problems prevented him from leading.

He was active in our community. He was a member of St. John Masonic Lodge No. 35 and lifetime member of the NAACP. He was also Treasurer of the Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County Branch, Treasurer of the Ethnic Minority Program at the Wesley Foundation at Virginia Tech 1987 1996, Board Member of NRV Hospice, and Board Member and Chair of the Rosa L. Peters Playground.

In addition to his loving and devoted children, he is survived by his brother, Robert P. Jones; sister-in-law, Patricia (Shelvin) Wright; son-in-law, Donald Wayne Dooley; six granddaughters, Donnette Ford, Karen Jones, Gail (Emon, Sr.) Hill, Pamela Jones, Kristina (Marvin) Figaro, and Marsha Jones; six great-grandchildren, Da’Von Ford, Jasmine Jones, William “Tre” Walker III, Emon Hill, Jr., Mekhai Huey, and Morgan Hill; nieces, Erma L. Jones, Shirley Griffin, and Beverly (Mark) Taylor, Natalie Wright, Nicole Wright, and great-niece, Riane Wright; nephews, Lewis Griffin and William Jones; his Asbury Church family and a host of other family and friends.

Funeral services will be Friday, September 15, 2006 at 2 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church. Burial will be at the Schaeffer Memorial Cemetery, Christiansburg, Va. Family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church. Penn’s Funeral Home, Pulaski, Va. is in charge of arrangements. Donations can be made to the UMCOR and sent to Asbury United Methodist Church.