The Beautiful Life of Dr. William Matthew Jones

William Matthew Jones was born in 1925 in Pine Hollow, Warner, Oklahoma to John
Wiley Jones and Celia Platt Jones McClendon. John, who hailed from Pine Bluff, Arkansas,
moved to Oklahoma and settled Pine Hollow, where he became a Baptist preacher and
established Mount Zion Baptist Church and Mount Zion School. Celia--his mother--was the
school's first teacher. Together, they had ten children (one passed prematurely), plus six half
siblings from John's previous marriage. William was the 3rd youngest of his siblings and is
preceded by his parents and all his siblings into Glory.
William attended grade school and high school and even played basketball in high school. He
always used to joke about how he was never any good at it. After graduating high school
William ventured out and joined the US Navy in 1945 for 1 year, 3 months, and 29 days. After
being honorably discharged from the military, he worked at the McAlester Army Ammunition
Plant and met and married Velma Jean Allen in 1948 in Rentiesville, OK. There, they had six
beautiful children, then moved to Wichita, Kansas where he got into construction and was the
Vice President of the Local Union 94. William and Velma had 4 more precious children after
moving to Wichita and it was around this time that William received his calling from The Lord.
As a member of Community Baptist Church of Plainview under the pastorship of Reverend
Gilkey, William started travelling and preaching at Community and other churches until Rev.
Gilkey passed away. Rev. Jones took on the mantle of Pastor after Rev. Gilkey's passing and
relocated Community Baptist Church from Plainview to its current location at 1st and Green.
During his long tenure as pastor, Rev. Jones travelled back and forth to Topeka, Kansas and
served as the Vice President of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute Voters Registration Drive, was
an advisor to the Minority Affairs Committee of Kansas, attended Seminary, and received his
Doctorate in Theology. Dr. Jones served as Treasurer of Kansas State Congress C.E. and
Moderator of the Southwest District Association.
Dr. William Jones was preceded in death by both of his parents, his wife, Velma Jean Jones,
siblings---Mattie Jones, Ceona Jones, Joseph Jones, Mary Jones, O.S. Madison Jones, Augusta
Vinta Jones Hammonds, Booker T. Jones, Thelma Jones Woolridge, Hattie Jones Lovelace,
Rosetta Jones Nesbitt, Eva Jones Vassar, Beatrice Jones Williams, and Edison Jones; and
children Robin Renee Jones Richardson, Elma Faye McClellan (Roy), and Charles Wesley Jones
(Burma). He leaves to cherish his memory William M. Jones, Jr., Thelma J. Rice (Carrel),
Brenda M. Washington (Eddie), Wendall N. Jones, Val G. Jones, Gregory L. Jones, Sheila Y.
Jones, and granddaughter--Tonya Renee Franklin (Charles)--whom he raised from the age of 9 to

maturity, and a host of grand-, great-grand-, great-great-grand, and great-great-great-
grandchildren.

Dr. Willam M. Jones is also survived by his church family members at Tabernacle Bible
Church, Greater St. Mary's Baptist Church, and Community Baptist Church.