WILLIAM FRANK JONES William Frank Jones 84 better known as Willie Frank to friends and family died on Sunday July 24, 2005. Services will be held Thursday July 28, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Pauls Episcopal Church with Father Edward de Bary officiating. Burial will follow in Friendship Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at the church. Born April 6, 1921 in Vernon AL to Elbert S. and Beulah Mae Goodson Jones, he spent most of his childhood in Columbus. He began college at Mississippi State but received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1942. His class of 1946 was accelerated due to World War II and he received his Ensigns commission in 1945. After a brief sea duty on the USS Alabama, he found he was better suited as a naval aviator. He flew blimps P-5M sea planes, C-54 transport planes and often joked that everything he flew was eventually decommissioned. His tours of duty took him to many places, the fartherest being Alaska and Japan. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1965 and spent another 10 years working in Civil Service with the Navy. Willie and wife Frances Williams Shackelford Jones then returned to Columbus to live near family. Finding he was not one to be retired, Willie went back to Mississippi State for an additional accounting degree. He then worked with the food services division at Mississippi University for Women in several positions until May of 2005. Willie and Frances were married 51 years until her death in 1997. They were both active members of St. Pauls Episcopal Church where Willie was the treasurer for many years. He is survived by three children Judie Shackelford Kumpel and her husband Michael of Mechanicsville MD, Penny Jones Sanders of Orange Park FL, and William Jones Jr. and his wife Mary Ellen of Madison NJ, two grandsons Matthew Kumpel and his wife Deadra of Hurst TX and Jason Kumpel of Dallas TX and one great grandson Joshua Kumpel of Hurst TX. He was preceded in death by his sister Ruby Latham but survived by brothers Henry F. Jones and his wife Wilma of Brooksville FL, and Robert S. Jones and his wife Emily of Columbus MS, and sisters Mary Nell Johnson of Columbus MS, and Betty Lou Unger of Martin TN. Pallbearers will be Dave Haffly, Charlie Whitney, Chris Whitney, Michael Kumpel, Matthew Kumpel, and Jason Kumpel. The family asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial may be made in Willies name to St. Pauls Episcopal Church Building Fund 318 College Street Columbus MS 39701 or MUW Foundation 1100 College Street MUW 1618 Columbus MS 39701
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wiliam Frank Jones, please visit our flower store.
