Geneva Smith Jones

Van Thomas Jones, Jr., 83, retired coach, died Thursday, September 27, 2007. His widow, Geneva Smith Jones, 84, died Saturday, September 29, 2007. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were co-founders of Jones & Lang Sporting Goods and former long-time residents of Hardin Drive. Joint funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Jeff Jacob na d Dr. Jim Hughes officiating. Burial will be in Restview Cemetery in Loretto with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols and Sunday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Church Atrium. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 222 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. Mr. Jones was a native of Covington, Kentucky reared in Ethridge, Tennessee and was the son of the late Van Thomas Jones, Sr. and Floy Violet Bryan Jones. He was a graduate of Lawrence County High School and Martin Methodist College in Pulaski and earned a Bachelor's Degree from Athens State College. During World War II, he served in the U. S. Army Infantry, including a tour of duty in the European Theatre of Operation where he earned the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars. Mr. Jones served as athletic coach at schools in Waynesboro, Lawrenceburg, Summertown, and Hohenwald. Following retirement from coaching, he and Mrs. Jones c0-founded Jones & Lang Sporting Goods in January, 1966. Mrs. Jones was a native of Lawrence County, daughter of the late William Edgar Smith and Mary Clevie Killen Smith, and graduate of Loretto High School. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were a long-time member of First United Methodist Church. Joint survivors include their daughter, Cindy (Steve) Johnson of Columbia; their son, Rodney (Teresa) Jones of Columbia; their grandchildren, Patrick Jones, Allison Jones, and Michael (Lindsey) Johnson, all of Columbia, and Chrystal (John) Roesle of Birmingham, Alabama. Mr. Jones is survived by sisters, Betty Floy Koebeck and Rita (Jerry) Burress, both of Ethridge; brothers, Donnie Jones and Theo (Joyce) Jones, both of Lawrenceburg, and A. B. (Gloria) Jones of Arlington, Virginia; sister-in-law, Nelda Jones of Hopkinsville, Kentucky; brother-in-law, Henry Franklin of Ethridge. Mrs. Jones is survived by sisters, Stella (A. L. "Heavy") Thompson of Lexington, Alabama and Sarah Ann (Harvey) Springer of Florence, Alabama; brother, Villard (Reba) Smith of Columbia; sister-in-law, Frances Smith of Columbia. She was preceded in death by a brother, Reab Smith. Mr. Jones' pallbearers are Michael Johnson, Patrick Jones, John Roesle, Billy Lee, King Streeter, and Aubrey Flagg. Mrs. Jones pallbearers are Mickey Thompson, Todd Sullivan, Chase Sullivan, Doug Smith, Tommy Smith, and Jim Smith.