Royce A. Jones, 75, of Tifton died Sunday, July 29, 2007, at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at Northside Baptist Church. Dr. Fred Evers and Rev. Stephen Johnson will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Pallbearers and Honorary pallbearers will be all current and former, faithful employees of Jones Construction Company, Double A Concrete Products and Tifton Paint and Supply. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, July 31, 2007, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Northside Baptist Church.
Mr. Jones was born on February 16, 1932 in Tift County and was the son of Arlen Alonzo "A. A." Jones and Ezra Mae Moore Jones, both deceased. Mr. Jones served as leader of Jones Construction Company, Double A Concrete Products and Tifton Paint and Supply for 51 years. He was a 1954 graduate of Auburn University and was the first college graduate in his family. He served a tour of duty in the rank of captain with the United States Army Corps of Engineers from 1954 through 1956 and earned a registered engineer’s status as a structural engineer in 1974. He served as a director of South Georgia Banking Company and was a member of Northside Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and chairman of the finance committee. He served on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and served our community in the Tifton Chamber of Commerce and was a recipient of the Stafford Award. He was a lifetime member of the Auburn Alumni Association, Tigers Unlimited and the Golden Eagle recognition, along with being a committed Auburn football fan. Mr. Jones was a founder of the Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation; a member of the President’s Club at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; and a former member of the Georgia Agrirama Authority. He was a lifetime member in the Tifton Kiwanis Club and served as lieutenant governor. He also enjoyed vacationing and spending time with family and friends at Saint Simons Island.
Mr. Jones is survived by his wife, Betty Sue Bradley Jones of Tifton; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Jason Jones of Athens, Jeremy and Cheryl Jones of Tifton and Jonathan and Betsy Jones of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Joni and Dwight Dunn of Tifton; and one sister and brother-in-law, Rhea Jones Boyett and husband, Earl, of Lakeland; eight grandchildren, Deidra Jackson and husband, Rollins, Jillian Dunn, Austin Dunn, Julee Beth Dunn, Joshua Jones, Will Jones, Becca Jones and Hays Jones; and a special family friend, Scott Brandis.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Northside Baptist Church Building Fund.