On the evening of March 29th, 2018, Baxter Jones died peacefully of natural causes in his home surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 80 years old. Baxter was born in Lafayette County, Mississippi on May 1st, 1937, and was the youngest child of Lemuel and Exor Mae Carothers Jones. He grew up in the farming community of Camp Ground where he helped his father and three elder siblings on their farm. When his father was hired by a railroad company, Baxter moved to Water Valley where he met his wife of 60 years, Mary Lou Mize.
Baxter was an engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad for over forty years where he operated both cargo and passenger trains. An avid outdoorsman, Baxter spent his free time hunting and fishing. He was a talented writer documenting his childhood during the Great Depression. The family wishes to offer special thanks to the North Mississippi Herald for publishing excerpts of his memoir.
During his retirement years, he owned and operated Dallas Jones Crossing Farms near his childhood home in Camp Ground. Baxter supplied Water Valley with fresh produce from the farm for over a decade. He was also an active member of First Baptist Church in Water Valley.
Services will be held Monday, April 2, 2018 at 11 AM at First Baptist Church in Water Valley with Dr. Randy Bain officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30 until service time. A 2:00 PM graveside committal will be at Oak Hill Cemetery on Monday afternoon after the funeral.
Baxter is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Jones of Water Valley, Mississippi, and his three children: Paige Evans (Glen) of Oxford, Mississippi, David Jones (Anne) of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jennifer Levingston (Jon) of Clarksdale, Mississippi. He is survived by seven grandchildren: Ben Evans, Elizabeth Evans, Addie Jones, Baxter Jones, Katherine Levingston, Madeleine Levingston, and Sarah Levingston.
In addition to his parents, Baxter was preceded in death by his two sisters, Peggy and Nolie and one brother David.