Franklin E. Jones
January 12, 1939 - July 18, 2015

Elder Franklin Eugene Jones, 76 of Wilmar passed away Friday, July 17 at Drew Memorial Hospital in Monticello. He was born on January 12, 1939 in Shuqualak, Mississippi. He was the second of Frank Willie Jones and Lilly Anderson Jones' three children. After Frank Willie Jones' passing, Lilly Anderson Jones married McKinley Black and this union produced an additional ten children.

Franklin graduated from high school in 1957 and enlisted in the United States Army, retiring in 1977. He served for twenty years, including three combat tours in Vietnam and many duty assignments around the world. After retirement, he settled down in Los Angeles, CA where he met the love of his life, Mary. They met in 1977 and were married from 1981 until his passing.

Franklin was a husband, father, son, brother or uncle to many, but he was a teacher to everyone he met. Whether teaching scripture or just sharing some of his life experiences, he never missed an opportunity to share what he knew if he felt that someone could benefit from the lesson. There was never an excuse for not making an effort to pursue education, whether it was formal education or simply reading about a subject that you didn't know more about. He often reminded us that "Brown vs Board of Education was not about your right to sit in the front of the bus. It was about your right to an education because an educated population cannot be enslaved!"

He will be fondly remembered by his wife Mary, his children: Maurice, Yaphet "Cappy", Suzette, Stacey, Lynette and Myiesha; grandchildren: Darrien, Osiris, Davon, Deon, Jr., Jasmine, Quinten and Lauren; sisters: Mary Hunt (Frank Jr.), Lois Foust (Orlando), Jean Cowan, Lillie Ruth Myers (Richard), Carolyn Ash and Polly Vaughn (Randy) brothers: Charlie Jones, McKinley Black Jr. (Linda), Wilbert Black and Gregory Black as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews and other beloved family members and friends. Franklin was preceded in death by his sister Helen Hubbard and brother Carl "Sonny" Black.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, July 25 at Mt. Tabor Baptist Church in Wilmar. Arrangements by Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home. Online guestbook www.stephensondearman.com.