Raymond F. Jones, Sr

Mr. Raymond Fred Jones Sr., age 76, of Harrison passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 in an Augusta Hospital.  A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held on Sunday, July 16th at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Primitive Baptist Church, with burial in the church cemetery.  Elder Kenneth Brantley will officiate. Pallbearers will be Ray Jones Jr., Blake Harris, Derek Register, Gordan Alley, Horace Jackson, and Gene Smith.  The family will greet friends on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of service at the church.

Ray was born September 18, 1946 in Folkston, Georgia, the son of the late Gilbert Arthur Jones and the late Mabel Josephine Wyant Jones.  He was reared in both Ocala and Miami Florida, where he graduated from Northland High School.  At the age of 14, Ray began courting the love of his life, Lucy Diane Jones.  He began his working career at the local A & P Grocery where he collected as many grocery stamps as he could, to acquire items for he and Diane's future home together.  Following marriage, Ray worked for Florida Light and Power, prior to beginning a 26 year career in law enforcement with the Metro Dade County Police Department, from which he retired as an investigator.  While living in Miami, Ray and Diane were members of the Little Flock and the Welcome Primitive Baptist Churches.  In 1993 they retired to Washington County where they were both employed by B-H Transfer Co. as long hall team drivers and together traversed the continental United States.  Ray and Diane were both active members of Mt. Gilead Primitive Baptist Church.  He was an avid deer hunter and excellent marksman.  Fishing and gardening were some of his favorite hobbies.  He was talented fabricator of both wood and metal.  Ray was known as Pop-Pop by his grand and great-grandchildren.  One of his last remarks to family was, "I loved my life!"

Ray is predeceased by siblings, Addie Mae Smith and her husband Palmer Gene Smith, and Buddy Jones. Survivors include his loving wife Diane J. Jones; children, Raymond Fred Jones Jr. and his wife Jenny of Harrison and Julie Denham of Cadwell; grandchildren, Kaitlyn Bennett, Eryn Harris (Blake), Lauryn Bennett (Derek), Emily Jones, Madison Jones, Kenzie Davis, Thomas Denham, Chloe Jones and Malia Davis; great-grandchildren, Bayleigh Shiver, Benjamin Ray Shiver, Hudson Register, Marshall Harris and Cooper Register; and siblings, Evelyn Smith and her husband Franklin of Jasper, FL, and Lois Latham of Bellview, FL; sister-in-law, Annette Jones, and last but not least, his loyal companion and furry friend, Luke.

Donations may be made to Mt. Gilead Primitive Baptist Church, 154 Mt. Gilead Church Road, Tennille, GA 31089.

Leave an online condolence at www.mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com

May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.