John Earl Jones

John Earl Jones, age 96, died early Monday morning at his home in Rock Hill, SC. Born in Arcadia, LA to Bertha Hays Jones and John Earl Jones in 1915, Mr. Jones was a long-time resident of Charlotte who moved to Rock Hill in 2010 to be closer to family. Mr. Jones is survived by his two sons, John E. Jones, Jr. (Gloria) of Rock Hill and William Pike Jones (Susan) of Charlotte. In 1940, Mr. Jones married Wilma Olivia Lee, and they were married for almost sixty-five years. He was a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in agriculture, a degree that he put to use as a lieutenant in World War II in the Philippines growing food for servicemen in the Pacific. When the war ended, Mr. Jones came back to Louisiana and worked as a county agent for the USDA. That work led to recognition by the Louisiana Farm Bureau and then on to North Carolina in 1953 to start North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. Thus began a lifetime of service to others in the life insurance business in several states, culminating in his settling in Charlotte where he left management and became a personal producing General Agent with the Gulf Life Insurance Company, and then American General Life out of Houston, Texas. J. E. Jones and Associates was established in 1970, from which he retired in 2006. Mr. Jones was a Mason and an early member of the Kiwanis Club of Mecklenburg . He was instrumental in starting several other Kiwanis clubs in the Carolinas and served as the president of the Mecklenburg club and the Lt. Governor of the Carolinas Disrict. In addition to his sons, Mr. Jones is survived by his brother William Augustus Jones (Shumpert) of Ruston, LA; five grandchildren, John E. Jones, III (Tracey) of Fuquay Varina, NC; Julie Jones Agnew (Jake) of Charlotte; Olivia Jones Choplin (Arnaud) of Greensboro, NC; Jenny Jones Guidry (James) of Charlotte; David Godfrey Jones (Susan) of Raleigh, NC; ten great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Mr. Jones was predeceased by his wife in 2005, his brother H. Richard Jones and Carroll G. Jones, both of Ruston. The service for Mr. Jones will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, in the sanctuary at Providence Baptist Church at 2:00 PM with a reception to follow in the rotunda. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Mecklenburg Kiwanis Charities (PO Box 33573, Charlotte, NC 28233) or to Providence Baptist Church (4921 Randolph Road, Charlotte, NC 28211).

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