George William Jones of Bloomington passed away Sunday February 28, 2010 at his residence. He was 79 years old. George was born on April 14, 1930 in Macon, Missouri to Lyndell and Florence Myers Jones. He graduated from Macon High School in Macon, Missouri in 1947 and received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 1951. George went on to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas to be awarded his Masters in Religious Education in 1953, his Masters of Arts from Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee in 1960 and received his Doctor of Education from Columbia University in New York, New York in 1965. While completing his graduate work George worked from 1953 to 1956 in Springfield, Missouri as the City-wide Baptist Student Director for Southwest Missouri State, Drury, Springfield Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, Draughon’s Business College, and Springfield Senior High School. From 1956 until 1964 George worked in Nashville, Tennessee as the Director of Baptist Student Union at Peabody and Vanderbilt, Belmont and other schools. And lastly he worked from 1964 until 1995 in Muncie, Indiana at Ball State University as the Director of Religious programs and Student Voluntary Services on Dean of Students Staff. Upon retirement, George served as an active member of the Bloomington Baptist Church; volunteered at the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana and the Student Advocates Office at Indiana University; served on the Peppergrass Board and the Indiana Network for higher Education Ministries Board, and also was a member of the Bloomington Kiwanis Club. George leaves behind his wife of 56 years Garnell Hamilton Jones of Bloomington; daughter Lynette Russell and husband Mark of Hockessin, Delaware; son Daniel Jones and wife Linda of Lawson, Missouri; son Andrew Jones and wife Jane of Bloomington, Indiana; daughter Sarah (Wendy) Smith and husband Chris of Knoxville, Tennessee; grand children Gretchen Chamberlin and husband Sam of Anchorage, Alaska; Elizabeth Russell of Boulder, Colorado; Grant Russell of Lexington, Virginia; Haley and Kelsey Jones of Liberty, Missouri; Allie and Will Jones of Bloomington, Indiana; Christopher and Blake Smith of Knoxville, Tennessee. George also leaves behind a sister Mary Zelade and husband Irv of Lake Jackson, Texas and a brother John Jones and wife Karen of Jamestown, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents. Funeral Services for George will be held Wednesday March 3, 2010 at 7:00PM in the evening at Allen Funeral Home 4155 South Old Highway 37, Bloomington. Visitation will be held on Wednesday March 3, 2010 from 4:00PM until the time of the service at 7:00PM. George will be laid to rest on Friday March 5, 2010 at 11:00AM in the Grand Prairie Cemetery, Moberly, Missouri. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the GWJ Endowment Fund (7504) at Ball State University Foundation, P.O. Box 672, Muncie, Indiana 47308 or Bloomington Hospital Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 1149, Bloomington, Indiana 47402. Online condolences may be sent to the family at HYPERLINK "http://www.allenfuneralhome.org" www.allenfuneralhome.org.
