Mr. Jones (right) with his brother, Colbert.

John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

Whether at work or play, James William “J.W.” Jones III exemplified all the qualities of a true leader.

Mr. Jones died on Nov. 12, in Kansas, doing what he loved: hunting deer with his brother. He was 79.

A memorial for Mr. Jones is scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19 at Salem Cemetery in Macon, Miss. with Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Jones is survived by his wife of 55 years, Betty Lou Stuart Jones; his brother, Colbert Jones (Debbie); his children, Lou Ann Lamar (Alan), Jenny Bryan (Doyle), and Will Jones (Jaime); and his grandchildren: Ann Morgan Lamar Wells (West), Logan Lamar, William Lamar, Benjamin Bryan, Mary Love Bryan, Ava Jones, Jack Jones, and Harper Jones.

A Noxubee County High School graduate, Mr. Jones attended the University of Mississippi, where he played freshman baseball and lettered in track.

Drafted into the U.S. Army straight out of college, Mr. Jones served in Vietnam.

As his induction drew near, he worried the war would take his life, and he would never be able to hunt another deer. So, before he left, he went to his family land, searching for the two giant deer he had been watching. He killed both of those huge bucks that day.

Mr. Jones eventually joined the 173rd Petroleum Company, a unit that was never supposed to get deployed, so he and his group nicknamed themselves “the boys who were not supposed to go.”

The group of Ole Miss graduates were notorious for their shenanigans, including mailing an order for chili and cheese dogs from South Vietnam to Kiamie’s, a restaurant in Oxford.

‘He never met a stranger’

Will Jones, the youngest of his three children, recalls this story his father told him, but he also remembers what kind of man his father was.

“My father was a very stern but reasonable man,” he said. “He believed in doing things the right way, in respecting people. He never met a stranger, and he had an easy way of talking to people. He was raised to be a man’s man and not show much emotion, but when it came to grandkids, he let his guard down. He spoiled our babies; after his retirement, he could make time for them at the drop of a hat.”

“If I called him and asked him to come to Birmingham on a Friday to help us with the kids, he would say, ‘I’ll be there.’ When I got the call from his brother that sad Saturday, Ole Miss was about to kick off against Alabama; I just knew it was my dad calling me to report that he had shot a big buck.”

Lou Ann Lamar, Mr. Jones’ oldest daughter, described her father as very patriotic.

“Due to serving in Vietnam, he had an extreme love and respect for our country,” she said. “But, until the day he died, if he saw a player/fan/coach not standing at full attention during the national anthem, it would make him so angry. I know he has written letters to many athletic directors and coaches of SEC baseball programs explaining the importance of demanding their players to behave accordingly. When writing his obituary, we almost suggested that in lieu of flowers, please teach your children or loved one the importance of standing at attention.”

“He had high expectations for everyone,” Lamar added. “He would shake his head and say, ‘People just don’t do right.’ He mellowed a lot with our children, but he still expected them to excel.”

Jenny Bryan, Mr. Jones’ middle daughter, agrees.

“My dad was always involved in our education and extracurricular activities, and even more so with all our children,” she said.

“He was so active and healthy,” she added. “He went for a checkup earlier in the year and recounted the story of dragging a 20-pound turkey out of the woods the previous week. When he got pneumonia from the cold, his doctor told him he had just passed the ‘ultimate stress test.’ But, even then, he maintained his sense of humor. Growing up, I remember his looking at patient lists every single day. He wanted to ensure that everyone admitted to Anderson Hospital was treated with great care and respect. When my mother had her health scare in 2021, he became her caregiver and ensured she recovered quickly.”

“Fun, mischievous, tender-hearted’

In 1966, Jane Chambers was a guidance counselor alongside Mr. Jones at Northwest Middle School, where he began his career in education.

“He walked into my office straight off his honeymoon in the Big Apple,” she recalled. “He informed me that he had married a hometown girl, and she was the most wonderful girl in the world. He and my husband Joe (who was not my husband then) always played tricks on me. One time, they brought me a piece of cake, laid it on my desk, and placed a baby green snake under the plate. Needless to say, I gave them the show they wanted.”

“J.W. was a fun, mischievous, tender-hearted, and wonderful counselor. To know him was to love him.”

Trisha Harper, a fifth-grade teacher at Poplar Springs Elementary during Mr. Jones’ time as principal, recalls his professionalism and consistency.

“He led by example, and he was always fair and consistent. His door was open for any problem, whether a student, a parent, or a teacher. He was a visible administrator who ran a tight ship. We knew he cared about us, just like a family,” she says.

Harper laughs at the memory of Mr. Jones’ “electric paddle,” which was feared by many.

“There were very few who experienced the punishment, but the students who did, came away understanding the consequences of making poor decisions.”

Clint McElroy was a student at Poplar Springs around 1977-78, and he was able to meet the dreaded paddle up close and personally, so to speak.

He tells, “All of us were afraid of [Jones], and I was not the quietest and most well-mannered young kid,” he recalled. “I think I received a red card for about the third time, and I was sent to Mr. Jones’ office. He gave me a speech about following the rules, and the next thing you know, we are talking about hunting.”

He continues, “I was so proud of myself. I thought I had conquered ‘the beast,’ then Mr. Jones quietly said, ’Ok, Clint, put your hands on my desk right here.’ He pulled out a boat paddle looking object, and with the motion of a Babe Ruth, my whole life changed. I know the next sound echoed through North Meridian… And guess what? I never went back to his office.”

“He will be sorely missed”

After serving as principal at Poplar Springs, Mr. Jones began a new career at Jeff Anderson Memorial Hospital in 1980.

Mark McPhail, a former CEO at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center, describes Mr. Jones as a well-rounded person.

During that time, Mr. Jones was primarily responsible for physician recruitment, public relations, and marketing. He was also instrumental in creating the Jeff Anderson Health and Fitness Center and recruiting physicians for the new cardiac surgery unit.

“He took his job seriously,” McPhail said. “He ate in the doctors’ lounge daily to gauge issues and concerns. If there was a problem, he wanted to know about it, and he wanted to address it.”

Dr. Kim McDonald was one of those physicians Mr. Jones recruited in 1986.

McDonald described Mr. Jones as a dear friend.

“He and Dr. Billy Anderson came out to Telluride where I was living at the time. They came to hunt elk, but they also knew that Anderson’s was going to start having full-time ER doctors 24-7. He was one of the main reasons I came back home to work. He was the face of Anderson’s Hospital in the 80’s and 90’s, and he was a good man who always treated the employees there with respect. He was truly a close friend, and he will be sorely missed in the community.”

Ann Weddington, Communication Manager at Anderson, was hired by Mr. Jones in 1995. She remembers him as a great mentor, boss, and friend. Weddington said the experience Jones brought from the military, as well as his career in education, was significant.

“He had his finger on the pulse of everything that was going on, and he was very proactive. He walked around the hospital, assessing what needed to be done. His focus was the patient and the patient experience. While he started in the purchasing department, he was quickly promoted to personnel and administration. He was the most community-minded individual. He understood what it meant to be connected long before the invention of social media,” she says.

Linda Todd, who was the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at JARMC, was hired in 1992 and worked alongside Mr. Jones.

She recalls him being an advocate for all people. He wanted to follow up with patients and their families regarding any concerns they might have.

“He treated the staff in the same manner; he was a true Southern gentleman. He never wanted to take credit for a success. Instead, he used that as an opportunity to let someone else shine. Outside the hospital, he supported so many community events. I will never forget him and [Betty Lou] inviting me to church, civic, and community functions when I first moved to Meridian. They wanted me to feel at home and secure, and that’s how he treated everyone,” she adds.

Danny Miles was Mr. Jones’ friend and colleague at Anderson. One of his favorite memories is attending an SEC baseball tournament with Mr. Jones.

He chuckles, “He spotted me sitting by the dugout, close to the players. So, he came down from his seat and visited with me for several innings. He quickly noticed the ballpark did not have a screen to protect fans from foul balls. So, after several balls came in too close, he commented that he felt a little uneasy sitting close to the batters, and he quickly moved back to where his brother was sitting.”

“It was a pleasure to work with J.W. for many years. He was always kind and friendly to me then and anytime later through the years, even though he was a Rebel, and I was a Bulldog. My heart is heavy. I’ll no longer see him around, but I’ll always have good memories of our time together. He was a fine man.”