Thomas Roy (T.Roy) Jones, Jr.

T. Roy passed away on March 12, 2022 at Chattanooga Hospice Care Center. He will be greatly missed by his family and a multitude of friends.

T. Roy Jones was born July 1, 1935 to Thomas Roy Jones Sr. and Mildred Z. Jones in Jellico, TN. They moved several times when he was young but returned to the family home in Cleveland, TN in 1942, when his father was drafted into WWII.

T. Roy grew up in Cleveland, attending Arnold Elementary and then Bradley High School. He was voted most friendly in the class of 1953 and continued being known for that trait all his life. He played football and other sports while a student, as well as enjoyed many other activities. During his younger years, he also attended Broad Street United Methodist Church where he was saved as a teenager.

Upon graduation from high school, T. Roy enlisted in the US Army, was stationed in Korea, and remained in the reserves until 1962. When he returned from Korea, T. Roy attended Tennessee Technological University where he was a manager/trainer for the football team. There he also met the love of his life, Virginia “Ginny” Wilson; they married in 1957. It was during this time that T. Roy rededicated his life and was baptized into the Baptist Church. Upon graduation in 1959, they returned to Cleveland where he took a job with Burlington Woolen Mills. He remained there for several years until taking a job with American Uniform in 1962. T. Roy rose in the company over the years in several positions from industrial engineer, production manager, plant superintendent, vice president of manufacturing and then Vice President of Sales. He retired in 1999.

T. Roy enjoyed playing golf and tennis, and also was a fierce competitor when playing card/board games particularly Rook. During their empty nest years, T. Roy and Ginny enjoyed traveling for business and pleasure.

T. Roy joined First Baptist Church of Cleveland in 1959 and was very active in serving the Lord there. He was elected as a Deacon in 1962, and also served as chairman of the deacons for many of those years. He taught Sunday School for almost 60 years to teenage boys, then young adults, and later, to older/senior adults. He served on numerous committees and was known to all as a wise spiritual leader and mentor.

In the community T. Roy served on numerous boards including the YMCA board, serving as president in 1970, Cleveland City School Board from 1973-78. In 1968 he was chosen for the Cleveland Distinguished Service Award of the Year. He was the Cleveland Commissioner of Public Works in 1993. T. Roy was voted into the Cleveland Old Timers Club Hall of Fame in 2017.

T. Roy was proceeded in death by his parents, Thomas Roy Jones Sr. and Mildred Z. Jones.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ginny Jones, and three daughters and sons-in-law. Melissa J. Smith (Michael), Amy J. Tucker (Bob), Karen J. Caldwell (Rick). 7 grandchildren: Meagan Smith Mayo (Eric), Spencer Thomas Smith (Katie), Mary Beth Tucker Ledford (Janson), Rob Tucker (Carly), Wilson Caldwell (Brittany), Whitney Caldwell, John Mark Caldwell. Great Grand Children: Barrett Ledford, Dawson Ledford, Karis Jones Caldwell, and coming soon Baby Girl Mayo.
Because of T. Roy’s deep love and dedication to his church the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Legacy Fund at First Baptist Cleveland.

The family will receive friends at First Baptist Church of Cleveland from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Thursday, March 17, 2022, followed by a celebration of life at 1:00 PM. Burial afterward at Sunset Memorial Gardens.