Mr. John Birdo Jones

Mr. John Birdo Jones, affectionately known as "Brother" and to many "Uncle Brother", was born in Florence, Mississippi, on May 7, 1934. He was the youngest of thirteen children born to Ed and Della Wansley Jones. He attended Mount Olive (Morning Star) School and Piney Woods, graduating from Campbell College High School in 1953. That year proved to be pivotal: Mr. Jones met his future wife, Myrtis Loreatha Smith, during his employment at the Mississippi School for the Blind. On April 16, 1953, the couple married. In 1955, Mr. Jones enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving as a cook for twelve years and as a Food Service Supervisor for eight years. He completed his Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and undertook remote assignments in Thule, Greenland, and Da Nang, Vietnam. His military career brought the family to Austin and Corpus Christi, Texas; Moses Lake, Washington; Great Falls, Montana; Tachikawa, Japan; and Grand Forks, North Dakota. In 1959, Mr. and Mrs. Jones welcomed their daughter, Meriel Kasandra. Their family grew with the birth of Donociano Trent eighteen months later. Sadly, in 1962, just before Trent’s first birthday, he passed away unexpectedly. Upon retiring from the Armed Forces after twenty years of distinguished service, Mr. Jones worked for fifteen years as a mail carrier with the United States Postal Service in Jackson, Mississippi. He later spent eleven years as a livery driver for his brothers' Jet Livery Service in Chicago, Illinois. In 1994, shortly after retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Jones relocated to Bolingbrook, Illinois, to be near their three grandchildren: Reginald, Christopher, and Paula. Mr. Jones often shared that this move was the most rewarding decision they had ever made. At an early age, Mr. Jones professed his faith in Jesus Christ at Enoch Grove Baptist Church. He actively served as an usher in military chapels. After his military retirement, he returned to Florence, Mississippi, and joined Greater Enoch Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where Mr. Jones served as Treasurer. After relocating to Illinois, they joined Alpha Missionary Baptist Church in Bolingbrook where he served as an Usher. Brother Jones was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Della Jones, his brothers, James (Jack), Odie, Dock, Walter (Bush), Barney, Alton, Ed, Jesse, Vernon, his sisters, Girlie, Rosie, and Lou Villa. Mr. Jones is survived by his beloved wife of seventy-two years, Mrs. Myrtis Loreatha Smith Jones; his daughter, Meriel Kasandra (Isaac) Champagne of Naperville, Illinois; grandchildren, Reginald (Leigh) Champagne of Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Christopher (Bre) Champagne of Mountain View, California; and Paula (Adam) Goldstein of Portland, Oregon. His great-grandchildren also survive him: Sophia, Winston, Margaux, and Zuri; honorary siblings: Lou Della Glass, Patricia Smith, Towana Smith and Bernard Williams, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great great- nieces and nephews.

Mr. John Birdo Jones

May 7, 1934 - January 1, 2026