TALTON W. JONES
Jan. 9, 1916-Dec. 7, 2016
Mr. Talton Waylon Jones, Snow Hill, born in Franklin County, Ala., Jan. 9, 1916, died Wednesday morning, Dec. 7, 2016, at his home in Snow Hill.
The youngest of eight children, his parents, Riley Carson Jones and Theodora Josephine Brewer Jones, owned and operated a cotton farm, where he learned the value and meaning of hard work.
Talton graduated from Belgreen High School in 1936, and entered Berry College near Rome, Ga., in July of the same year. In 1941, he graduated with a degree in history and social studies and with a minor in education.
While at Berry College, he met Anna Eloise Stevens of Wayne County, N.C., who was also a student at Berry College, and they married in 1942.
Following graduation from college, Talton taught and coached basketball and baseball for four years, two years in Georgia and two years in North Carolina.
During World War II, he served several months in the United States Navy, and in 1943, transferred to the United States Army, where his duty was teaching reading at Fort Bragg, N.C.
From there, he was sent to Puerto Rico to teach non-English speaking draftees for the duration of the war.
Following his honorable discharge from service Jan. 24, 1946, Talton worked one year for the Veterans Administration.
In 1947, he returned to the public schools, working 14 years as a teacher, coach and principal in Wayne County.
That tenure included serving as a teacher and coach at Nahunta High School, four years as principal of Eureka High School, three years as principal of New Hope High School and five years as principal of Grantham High School.
The year 1961 brought Talton to Snow Hill, where he began an 18-year career with Greene County Schools, serving as principal of Snow Hill Elementary School, which later became Snow Hill Junior High School.
In 1979, Talton retired to care for his wife, who was suffering with a terminal illness.
A lifelong Baptist, Talton was a member of Snow Hill Baptist Church, where he sang in the choir for more than 30 years, taught Sunday School, served as a deacon and was chairman of the church board for three terms. He had a deep love for his church family at First Baptist.
In addition to his wife, Anna Eloise Stevens Jones, he was also preceded in death by his second wife, Annie Ruth Thomas Hardison Jones, who died Dec. 10, 2015.
His surviving family includes the four children born to him and his first wife, and they are Joseph Howard Jones of Johnson City, Tenn., Charles Jones (Heidi) of Jonesborough, Tenn., Alan Carson Jones of Durham, N.C., and Martha Eloise Jones of Crossville, Tenn.
There are two grandchildren, the daughter of Charles, Hannah Jones of Seattle, Wash., and the son of Howard, Colin Jones of Johnson City, Tenn.
Additionally, a great-grandchild, Desmond Bulut of Seattle, Wash., and nine nieces are scattered over the states of Alabama, Florida and Ohio.
Upon his marriage to Annie Ruth, Talton gained two stepsons, Allen Hardison (Kim) of New Bern, N.C., and George Hardison (Lynn) of Rolesville, and stepgrandchildren, Scott Hardison of Richmond, Va., and Jenna Hardison Fillipone of Reston, Va.
Talton was also blessed with a devoted caregiver during the last year, Judy Grant of Snow Hill.
Funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at First Baptist Church of Snow Hill. Interment will follow at Wayne Memorial Park in Goldsboro, N.C.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the church's fellowship hall and other times at the Jones residence in Snow Hill.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 484, Snow Hill, N.C., 28580.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylor-tyson.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on December 9, 2016 9:58 AM