Robert S. "Bobby" Jones, age 75, died October 31, 2007, at Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle. Services will be held at First United Methodist Church on Sunday, November 4, 2007, at 3:00 PM, with Dr. Sam Morris, Rev. George Jackson, and Rev. Chad Kingsbury officiating. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery. Visitation will be at First United Methodist Church on Sunday, November 4, 2007, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Mr. Jones was born on March 8, 1932, in Columbus, MS, to the late E.S. and Beulah Mae Goodson Jones. He graduated from Lee High School and Mississippi State University. While at MSU he became a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He served in the US Air Force and graduated from the Air Force Squadron Officers School and the Air Force Command and Staff College. He was a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the USAF Reserve, a Liaison Officer for the Air Force Academy, Chairman of the Chamber Military Affairs Committee, and past President of the Air Force Association. After serving his country, Mr. Jones returned to Columbus. He was President of Fletcher Jones Inc. He received the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award and was the recipient of the MS Quality Auto Dealer Award. He retired as President of Fletcher Motor Company, and Mr. Jones served on the Board of Cadence Bank from 1973 to 2006. He was a member of First United Methodist Church where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Administrative Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of Staff-Parish Relations Committee, Family Life Center Building Chairman, and Lay Delegate to the Mississippi United Methodist Annual Conference for 10 years. He was a youth and adult Sunday school teacher for over 30 years and member of the Lewis Fellowship Class. He served as a Lay Director of the Walk to Emmaus, Chairman of the North MS Emmaus Community, Chairman of the Building Study Committee, and a board member for the Christian Camp of North Mississippi. Mr. Jones served as President of the Board of Directors of Trinity Place Retirement Community and on the Fund Raising Committee for Trinity Personal Care Center and Nursing Home. Mr. Jones was a Life Trustee and Board member of the Frank P. Phillips YMCA and a charter member of the Heritage Club. He served as President of the Columbus Lowndes Industrial Foundation, Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Lowndes County, and Columbus Kiwanis Club. He was a past director of the Columbus Lowndes Economic Development Association, the GTR Medical Foundation, the MS State University Development Foundation, the Columbus Civil Service Commission, and the Columbus Country Club. He also served as Director of the MS Oil Jobbers Association, the East MS Council, on the Board of Directors for Heritage Academy, and the Magnolia Tennis Club. He was President of the MS Tennis Association, and Chairman of the MS Tennis Association Ranking Committee. He was selected in 1979 as Magnolia Tennis Association Player of the Year and later inducted into the MS Tennis Association Hall of Fame. Mr. Jones was named Columbus Pilgrimage King in 1990, Columbus Citizen of the Year, Kiwanis Layman of the Year, and he received the Columbus Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds Award in 2001. Mr. Jones was preceded in death by his son, Robert S. Jones Jr., one sister, Ruby Jones Latham, and one brother, William F. Jones. He is survived by his wife, Emily Fletcher Jones, Columbus, MS; daughter, Frances Borland, Columbus, MS; grandchild, Caroline Borland, Columbus, MS; brother, Henry Jones, Brooksville, FL; sister, Mary Nell Johnson, Columbus, MS; sister, Betty Unger, Martin, TN; sister-in-law, Ann Lee, Jacksonville, FL; and brother-in-law, Frank Lee, Jacksonville, FL. Pallbearers will be Ken Kennedy, Tommy Lott, Dewitt Hicks, Ray Lacey, Toby Lott, Frank Lee, Charles Cole, Dr. Brad Brown, and Mack Howard. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Brooks, Randolph Brown, Russ Brown, Bill Cooke, Rick Humphreys, Peter Koury, Jim Evans, Bobby Redwood, Jake Propst, Bob Reynolds, Franklin Smith, Warren Gardner, Harry Lee Robinson, Cadence Bank Board of Directors, Frank P Phillips YMCA Board and Lewis Fellowship Class. Memorials can be made to FUMC Building Fund P.O. Box 32, Columbus MS 39703, Frank P. Phillips YMCA, 602 2nd Ave. North, Columbus MS 39701, or Christian Camp of North MS, P.O. Box 228, Winona, MS 38967.
