Bilbo "Red" Jones

REMEMBERING THE LIFE AND TIMES of BILBO “RED” JONES

Mr. Bilbo Jones, affectionately called “Red”, was born September 6, 1931, in Anding, MS, the third of eleven children born to the late Adola and Lewis Jones, Sr.

Having been born near the onset of The Great Depression, Red began his formal course of education in the Yazoo County School District at The Kelly School until disrupted by the need to work to help sustain the family. He continued to work until being drafted into the US Army during the Korean War era. An enlistee, he served two years as a small arms weapons instructor and achieved the rank of Corporal, before being honorably discharged and returning home to work as a laborer in the now defunct, McGraw Sawmill, located in Bentonia, MS.

Raised in a closely bonded and loving family, Red received spiritual nurturing and guidance from his parents that shaped an intimate and life-long love of God, influencing his acceptance of Christ at an early age. As his faith grew, he was baptized and became a member of Old Concord M.B. Church, in Bentonia, MS, under the pastoral leadership of the late Rev. Saul Roberts.

One Sunday afternoon while awaiting a bus in Bentonia to return to his military post at Ft. Benning, GA, he met an attractive young lady named Betty Jean Harrington. She possessed a strong work ethic, family values, and more importantly, was already approved by his father. Being a little shy his father noticed his son’s interest and prodded Red to ask for her address. Thus began their courtship.

On January 2, 1955, Red and Betty were united in holy matrimony, and to this union, seven children were added as follows: Hubert Lee, Judge, aka Fuzzy, Larry, Peggie, Patricia, Shirley and Lora.

A simple and humble man, Red wore a badge of pride in being a “country boy”, enjoying small game hunting and fishing with his brothers, cousins and friends. He developed an affinity for the blues and the music of artists such as Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed. AND…to the dismay of his wife and children, Red enjoyed tinkering with malfunctioning household items that ceased to work properly. He would beam with pride and a sense of accomplishment upon successfully restoring items to operational use again; particularly if it saved him from having to pay someone else to do it – REGARDLESS of how it looked, with wires, aluminum foil and duct tape everywhere! He was indeed, resourceful.

In September 1964 while in search of better work and a better life, Red and Betty relocated their family to the West Side of Chicago, IL.

Knowing the benefits of trusting in the Lord and seeking and obeying the direction of the Holy Spirit, they immediately sought a new church home, joining The Traveling Trinity M.B. Church under the pastoral leadership of the late Rev. Eugene Rance.

While a member of Traveling Trinity M.B. Church, Red became an ordained deacon, later serving as the Chairman of the Deacons Board, as well as, a church trustee, while Betty served as the church secretary and she and the children all sang in the choir.

Around 1971, and after relocating to a different neighborhood, the family changed its church affiliation to Mandell United Methodist Church, where Red remained until his return to Mississippi in 2009.

At Mandell, the name “Brother Jones” was synonymous with the church’s name. During his 38-year tenure at Mandell, there wasn’t a position in which he had not served. However, most of his time was spent as the Superintendent of the Sunday School Board, Sunday school teacher and Director of Church Maintenance. Out of these duties, he developed a passionate intensity for dissecting and teaching the word of God. Through his diligent study of God’s word, his knowledge and wisdom grew and revealed exactly what was to become his personal ministry; nursing home bible study.

Every Sunday beginning in the mid-1970s until his 2009 relocation to Canton, MS, Red held bible study with the long-term care patients at Mayfield Manor Care & Rehab Center Nursing Home located at 5905 W. Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL. Many of the residents came to regard him as their pastor/minister of faith. He sponsored and provided a one-man annual Christmas show for the residents, complete with musical entertainment, (with him as Dee-Jay), and small gift bags packaged by his grandchildren just so the residents felt valued and worthy of love and kindness. His departure upon relocating was heartbreaking to many.

God bestowed special blessings on Red, enabling him to secure employment immediately upon arriving in Chicago. He worked for the W.D. Allen MFG Company assembling and packaging lawn sprinkler systems in suburban Broadview, IL until the company went out of business in 1974. Fortunately, a year earlier, Red and Betty had purchased a combined beauty salon and barbershop at 5118 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, and that purchase not only cushioned the blow from Red’s loss of work but grew into a thriving business during a time when entrepreneurial opportunities for African-Americans were relegated to barbecue joints, restaurants and pool halls. Still, keeping the barbershop staffed with reliable barbers proved challenging until Betty suggested pivoting their business model to a record and variety shop which proved to be a blessing. Together they successfully maintained their business for 33 years before relinquishing it to their eldest son, Hubert Lee who still operates it today.

During his Chicago area stay Red never shied away from civic duties which ranged from serving two terms as the Chairman of the Gladys-Van Buren Townhouse Organization, Neighborhood Watch, serving as a precinct captain for local elections and coaching the Austin Area Wrist Ladies Softball team.

After retiring and returning to Mississippi in 2009, Red sought a place to continue his practice of Christian faith and joined the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 432 Yandell Rd., Canton, MS under the pastoral leadership of Rev. John Booth. There he found many new sisters and brothers in Christ that formed a devoted network of friends and loved ones in Christ. On his arrival, he immediately informed the pastor and staff that he was there to help as their representative in the community, ministering to a local nursing home.

Red’s ministry services were soon put to work within his community at Nichols Center Nursing Home located at 1308 US Highway 51, Madison, MS where he served its residents with bible study until the 2020 COVID pandemic. Once again Red found an eager and grateful audience of patient residents ready to participate in increasing their knowledge of the Lord.

His resume boasted numerous jobs in manufacturing, building maintenance, and entrepreneurship, and Red ultimately retired from the Triton College Building Maintenance Division in River Grove, IL under the State Universities Pension Plan.

Everywhere he went, Red left an indelible impression on those with whom he came into contact. Described so often as being filled with kindness, generosity, wisdom, and knowledge and never missing an opportunity to speak of his Christian faith. He is sure to be missed by many.

On August 4, 2023 the last bell tolled on the life of Bilbo “Red” Jones as he gave up his worn earthly vessel in exchange for a well-deserved and peaceful rest.

He leaves to cherish in his memory a loving and devoted wife and partner of 68 years, Betty Jean Jones; two sons, Hubert Lee (Elois) Harrington and Larry Miller; four daughters, Peggie A. Jones, Patricia A. Lee (Allen), Shirley A. Jones and Lora A. Jones; twenty-nine grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. One brother, Paul Jones (Annie Lee) of Flora, MS; four sisters; Mattie Yancy of Anding, MS, Oretha Jones of Flora, MS, Linda West (Robert) of Jackson, MS and Georgia Mae Johnson of Eastpointe, Michigan; a daughter-in-law, Janetta Jones (Fuzzy) of Baltimore, MD; two sisters-in-law Catherine Jones (Frank) of Detroit, Michigan and Lena Jones (Bennie) of Jackson, MS, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and beloved special friends including sister-in-law Nancy Fouche (Eugene), niece Carolyn Roberts, Larie Hopewell, Tonya Richardson, Leroy Bethley, Clarence and Gloria Adams, Gerald Cannon, and many more.