Jamie Luther Jones Jr.

Jamie Luther Jones Jr. was born Jan. 8, 1923, in Vredenburgh, Ala., to Jamie L. and Minnie Edge Jones on their first anniversary. He was the first of their eight children. They grew up during the Great Depression. He attended elementary school in Vredenburgh and graduated from Beatrice, Alabama High School in 1940. After working at several jobs, he served in the U.S. Army from 1943-1946 in England and the European Theater. He was a technical sergeant in the 459th Ordnance Evacuation Company. He graduated from Auburn University in 1949 and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1951. He was also presented an honorary doctorate from Ouachita Baptist University. He served as director of the Baptist Student Union at the University of Arkansas from 1951-1988. He and his wife, Beverly Jean Childs Jones, met in the Baptist Student Union at Auburn University and were married Dec. 30, 1947. He regarded her as the greatest of all God's earthly blessings to him. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, John Edge Jones; and two sisters, Joline Dean and Margie Middleton. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; and their five children, Jamie L. Jones III and wife, Ceal, Suzanne Schwartz, Charles Russell "Rusty" Jones and wife, Charlotte, Cynthia "Cindy" Rush and husband, Mike, and Nancy Jones; 11 grandchildren, Hali Jones, Kakki Jones, Alison Perez, Aaron Schwartz, Adam Jones, Nathan Jones, Rachel Jones, Hannah Jones, Rebekah Thacker, Jamie Ellen Carden and Madeline Jones; 10 great-grandchildren, Madison Jones, Sela Grace Perez, Adelle Perez, Elise Perez, Makaleigh Thacker, Jocelyn Thacker, Kiersten Thacker, Adalynn Jones, Thrasher Ready and Vivian Carden; three sisters, Doris Rittlemeyer, Marilyn Mote and Kathleen Hobbs; and one brother, Burt Jones. Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at Fayetteville First Baptist Church, under the direction of Moore's Chapel. Private burial will be held at the Fayetteville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Fayetteville, Baptist Collegiate Ministry or BSU Advancement Fund in care of Southern Baptist Foundation, 901 Commerce St., Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37203. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.