Frank Jones

Rev. Frank Jones, retired United Methodist minister, died at home in Conway, AR on Monday, surrounded by his family. Frank was born in Ironton, Missouri on August 22, 1929, the son of Alfred and Mariette Jones. In 1956 he married Sue Osment of Jonesboro, and they shared 58 years together characterized by a deep commitment to each other, a shared love for the church, and close relationships with a number of life-long friends, many of whom dated to their days as students at Hendrix College. The parents of three children, their family includes Rock and Melissa Jones of Delaware, Ohio, with Alissan, Christopher and Anna; Brick and Dana Jones of Austin, Texas, with Sam and Johanna; and Pebble and David Sutherland of Conway, with Susanna, Clay and Reid. He is also survived by his two sisters, Mariette Booker of Oklahoma City, and Barbara Jones of Ironton, Missouri, and was preceded in death by his brother Russell Jones of Columbia, Missouri. Frank graduated from Hendrix College and Perkins School of Theology, and was a Methodist minister for more than 50 years. In his churches he was known as a strong and couragous preacher, a warm caring pastor, and a minister involved in the community. Across almost twenty states he shared his gifts as a Bible teacher who explained the scriptures in simple language, applied them to everyday life, and related them to vital issues of our time. His trademarks were his sense of humor, his smile, and having everyone call him by his first name. His early Arkansas Methodist pastorates were Eureka Springs and Van Buren St. John. He was a campus minister in Fayetteville, Ark. and Springfield, Mo. His Missouri pastorates were Brookfield Trinity, Carthage, Springfield King's Way, and Blue Springs First. Frank was a born storyteller and used that gift in his preaching and teaching as well as in conversation, where he enjoyed passing on the stories of his Ozark upbringing. In retirement he became a professional storyteller, appearing in schools, at the Ozark Folk Center and the Faulkner County Library, and in a variety of other settings, with stories of many kinds. He lived 33 years as a survivor of bladder cancer, cheerfully accepting of its life-changing consequences, and he long ministered to others facing similar challenges. His funeral will be Saturday, June 20 at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Conway. Memorial gifts may be made to the Frank Jones and Sue Osment Jones Scholarship at Hendrix College, or to First United Methodist Church, both of Conway, Ark.