Frank Jones Jr.

Frank Jones Jr., 102, of Mobile, Ala., died Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

He was born Sept. 24, 1910, in Coffeeville, Miss., to Frank and Ella Robinson Jones Sr. He met and married his soulmate, Josiephine Taylor, in 1949 in St. Louis. They were together 24 years until her death in 1973. From this union, five sons and six daughters were born.

He moved to Missouri around 1946 and made that state his home. For a while he lived in St. Louis, where he worked at East St. Louis Shipyard. After some time in the city, Frank and Josie moved the family to Marston, Mo., where he worked as a laborer and then in 1972 moved to Cape Girardeau, where he lived until 2005, when he moved to Mobile with one of his daughters. He remained there until June 11, 2013 when he was called home to be with the Lord.

Frank fulfilled many roles: son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, (great, great-great, and great-great-great-grandfather as well), uncle and great-uncle, friend, sharecropper, and a hardworking provider for his family.

He was a spirited, energetic person, never at a loss for words and readily expressed what was on his mind. Frank loved to socialize with his friends, old and young. Frank lived for more than a century and he witnessed and experienced many amazing things in his lifetime -- not the least of these was enjoying seeing all 11 of his children grow up to become adults.

Frank leaves many people to cherish his memory. His children and their families, Walter (Jackie), Billie (Carrie), Jennie Bell and Jeffrey (Beth), all of Cape Girardeau; Frankie Ross (Oscar) of Mobile; Johnny (Brenda) of Jackson, Tenn.; Katie Walker (Curtis) and Tyrone (Debbie), all of Victoria, Texas; Dianne Taylor (Stephen) of Anaheim, Calif.; Gloria Wade (Kevin) of St. Louis; Dosha Body (Johnny) of San Antonio; a brother, M.D. "Mack" Jones; nieces Pecola Wofford and Iola Ward of Howardville, Mo.; 26 grandchildren; and a host of great, great-great, and great-great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

All who knew him are blessed with fond memories as well.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and a sister, Willie Mae Jones.

Friends may call from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Wiley Reed officiating. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.