Ms. Willie Mae Jones

In these sacred hours, we pause to celebrate one whose life was so enormous that it touched young and old and its reach spanned the depth and breadth of an entire community. It spanned the religious, cultural and the political. Both anointed and blessed with countless talents, her life was a magical gift that just kept on giving. She had a heart of gold; and a mind to serve, which she did with dignity and grace.

 

Sister Willie Mae Jones was born October 1, 1943, in Waverly, Alabama, to the parentage of the late (Mr. & Mrs.) Wallace and Eris (Freeland) Jones. Willie Mae graduated from the historic Randolph County Training School in Roanoke. She was employed for 16 years at Terry Manufacturing Company, and served 20 years as a Smash Hand at Amoco Fabrics and Fibers.

 

Of all the talents Willie Mae will be loved and remembered for, her greatest gift was the gift of song. Like her mother before her, the late Eris Jones, Willie Mae was blessed with a voice of "Angelic" quality; and she was never afraid or ashamed to use it in the service of the Lord.

 

Throughout life, she actively used her vocal ability, not only performing with her own church choir, but also the celebrated ladies ensemble many of us will remember as "The Gospelettes" of Roanoke, Alabama; The Randolph County Community Choir; The Old Ship Of Zion; Saint Paul Baptist Church in Roanoke; as a soloist, and any and everywhere she was invited to lift her voice.

 

A life-long member of Rock Mills Baptist Church, she served with a missionary zeal as President of The Rock Mills Baptist Church Choir, Missionary Society, Matron's Counselor, former Dietary Chair, and former Choir Director.

 

However, desiring to reach beyond the local church, at the District level, she served as Southwestern Union District Matron's Counselor and Music Director for the Sunday School Congress.

 

Her community activism was most evident as she stood in the gap for another community pioneer -- her mentor, the late Viola Huffman ensuring the continuation of Randolph County's Annual Community-Wide Black History Program. Moreover, she served as Membership Chair and past Secretary of the Randolph County NAACP; the Reunion Committee for the Randolph County Training School Reunion; the Roanoke Utility Board, the United Pantry Hour, and worked with both the Randolph County Chapter of the ADC and the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee. She was a true champion for Civil Rights in Randolph County, monitoring, preserving, renewing, and guarding the membership rolls for more than 20 years. One of the last and most important projects she undertook was facilitating the re-activation of Randolph County's Branch #5053 of the NAACP. With the tenacity of Queen Esther, determined to see this task through to completion, she perservered until the branch was reactivated, and God allowed her to be installed to serve yet another term as it's membership chair.

 

Having walked the walk -- not only of a beloved mother, sister, aunt and God-mother but a dedicated servant of God -- having perservered to the end and earned her crown, on Monday morning, February 4, 2019, Willie Mae was summoned into God's loving care. A positive person, and role-model for those desiring to live the Christian life, she was at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama. Willie Mae will be deeply missed in our community.

 

She leaves to cherish many loving memories: two (2) daughters, Tonia Jones and Sonia Jones both of Roanoke, Alabama; two nephews who she regarded as her sons: Richard Jones of Anniston, Alabama and Stanford Jones of Englewood, California; a sister, Lera Ann Jones of Atlanta, Georgia; grandchildren: Cordell Thurman and Cyriah Daniels both of Roanoke, Alabama; "God-Children:" Mack and Sandra Bell, Candy Rowland, Mark Rowe, Chandra Darden, Ritchie Bell, Martha Johnson, Jacqueline Frieson; and very special "extended family" Joe & Cindy Turner, Babs Knowles, Rebecca King, Jackie & Dian Warren; a great host of admirers, comrades, co-warriors, neighbors and friends who loved her dearly.