Foundation Board member Billy Jones for whom Jones Hall was named passes away

Joseph William “Billy” Jones, Jr., Troy University Foundation Board member and namesake of Jones Hall, the University’s Health Sciences building, passed away on Friday, Jan. 23. He was 80.

Visitation will be held Wednesday from 10 to 11:40 a.m. at The Shop, 66 S. Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Monroeville. Funeral services will be at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Monroeville. Interment will follow at Pineville Cemetery with Johnson Funeral Home directing.

Jones, a Monroeville native and TROY alumnus, was president of Crowne Management, LLC, a company overseeing 17 nursing homes across Alabama, as well as assisted living and therapy centers, home healthcare services and hospice care. He was a four-time president of the Alabama Nursing Home Association Board of Directors and a past member of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

“Billy Jones epitomized the American Dream,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor. “A self-made man from humble beginnings, Billy built his legacy on the principles of hard work and integrity. His legacy includes Jones Hall on our campus, named in honor of Billy and Francis for their commitment to advancing healthcare in the state. He was a great friend and a committed family man. He will be missed.”

Jeff Coleman, Chair of the Troy University Foundation Board of Directors, said Jones demonstrated the true Trojan spirit in all that he did.

“Billy was a great man of service,” Coleman said. “He had an incredible entrepreneurial spirit and built a tremendously successful business through hard work and dedication. He always provided great counsel as a member of the Foundation Board, and his gift to the University that made Jones Hall become a reality for the College of Health Sciences was truly transformative and will continue to have a tremendous impact for Troy University and the healthcare industry in Alabama and beyond for years to come.”

Troy University Alumni Association President and longtime friend Jack Weaver said Jones always looked for the best in people.

“Billy Jones was one of the finest human beings that I have ever encountered in my lifetime,” Weaver said. “He always found the best qualities in a person and he highlighted them. He loved Troy University, and he will be greatly missed.”

Jones’ gift to the University helped make Jones Hall a reality on the Troy Campus. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the building last May, Jones said having the building bear his name was “one of the biggest honors of my life.”

Dr. LaGary Carter, Dean of the College of Health Science, said his college is committed to carrying on Jones’ legacy.

“Jones Hall exemplifies the vision and generosity of Billy and Frances Jones,” Dr. Carter said. “The College of Health Sciences is committed to preserving his legacy and continuing his commitment to public service by preparing future generations of healthcare professionals.”

Beyond his professional achievements, Jones enjoyed developing and restoring historic buildings in Monroeville and recruiting retail businesses to the downtown square — projects that reflected his deep love for his hometown.

In 2008, Jones and his wife, Frances, founded the King’s Kids Foundation whose mission has provided enrichment opportunities in literacy and the arts for children in Monroe County.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Frances Jones, of Monroeville, four children: biological children Richard Bryan Jones (Natalie) and Jennifer Jones McInnish (Jim); and stepchildren Tucker Ryan and Rebecca Ryan Bunt (Dave); and 13 grandchildren.