Rev. Willie James Jones, Jr. 64, died Friday evening July 21, 2017, at the Prentiss Regional Extended Care Facility. Services for Rev. Jones were held on Saturday July 29, 2017, at Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, with Rev. William T. Taylor officiating, and Rev. James Dampeer is the Pastor. Interment was in the Dennis Griffith Cemetery, with Laird Mortuary in charge of arrangements.

Rev. Jones was the son of the late Willie “Will” Jones, Sr. and the late Lessie Mae McLaurin Jones of Picayune. At an early he joined the Mt. Carmel M. B. Church in Prentiss, and remained a member until he united with the Beautiful Zion M. B. Church. Rev. Jones shared God’s Word everywhere he went and he loved to preach, teach and pray.

Rev. Jones spent much of his life in Prentiss, attending J. E. Johnson and graduating from Prentiss High prior to attending Jackson State University. Later in life, Rev. Jones lived in the Collins area before becoming a resident of the Prentiss ECF.

Rev. Jones’ survivors include three sons, Jermaine Jones of Memphis, Tennessee, Willie J. Jones III of Hattiesburg and Joseph Jones of Prentiss; one daughter Miri (Rieneld) of Prentiss; two brothers, Thomas Jones of Mt. Olive and Steven Jones of Jackson; three sisters, Claresia (Thomas) Smith of Mt. Olive, Willie Mae Hall of Biloxi and Jessie Cobb of Washington D.C.; seven grandchildren; and a number of other relatives and friends.