C. Goodman Jones. Sr.
(December 17, 1919- August
29, 2006)
The region was deeply
saddened by the death, Tuesday August 29, 2006, of C. Goodman Jones, Sr. of
Bluefield, WV. A very successful insurance company executive, Jones was active
on numerous civic fronts.
He was married to the
late Helen Hale Jones, and is survived by three sons, C. Goodman Jones, Jr. and
wife Diane of Bluefield, WV; Hamilton H. Jones and wife, Dee Dee of Bluefield,
WV, and Geoffrey H. Jones and wife Lesa of Concord, NC, as well as four
grandchildren; Courtney A. Jones of Starkville, MS, Hunter Jones of
Winston-Salem, NC, Natalie Jones of Charlotte, NC and Dare Jones of Concord, NC.
Jones attended Bluefield
public schools, graduating from Beaver High School, where he enjoyed an
outstanding athletic career, in 1938. He graduated from Bluefield College in
1940 and the University of North Carolina in 1942.
He was a military
veteran, attaining the rank of Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He was among the
first group of Air Force pilots to fly B-29s overseas and flew 13 combat
missions over Japan. He also participated in the air cover protection during the
signing of the peace treaty with the Japanese, at Tokyo Bay.
After receiving an
honorable discharge from the military in 1946, he returned to Bluefield, joining
the Paul Hildreth Insurance Agency. Two years later, he purchased the agency and
changed its name in 1950 to the Mutual Insurance Agency. Jones served as
president/owner of Mutual Insurance Agency for 47 years before selling the firm.
He was active for many
years as a member and officer of the National Association of Professional
Insurance Agents (NAPIA), an organization whose membership included 13,000
independent agencies. Jones was elected President/CEO of NAPIA in 1962-63 and,
subsequently, as CFO. For 20 years, he chaired NAPIA's Convention Site
Committee, and lectured as a faculty member of NAPIA's education department at
venues including the University of Colorado, University of Miami (FL),
University of North Carolina, and Oberlin College, In 2000, he was designated
for special recognition from the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors for
his “20 years commitment to leadership and excellence through continuing
education,"
A NAPIA Board member for 35 years, Jones was also the President
of the West Virginia Association of Professional Insurance Agents, and served as
well on the Corporate Boards of Shelby Life Insurance Company, Shelby Insurance
Company, Shelby Casualty Company, Affirmative Insurance Company, Insura
Insurance Company, and the Insurance Premium Budget Service Corporation.
Jones was selected by
NAPIA as its 'West Virginia Agent of the Year" in 1974,and was named the West
Virginia Association of Professional Insurance Agents"
“Agent of the Year" in 1991. He was the 1994 recipient of NAPIA's "Presidential
Citation for Distinguished Service." Jones was the first "Certified Insurance
Counselor" in West Virginia in 1980. His honorary distinctions include
membership as a "Kentucky Colonel" and a "Tennessee Squire."
Active on a broad range
of civic fronts, Jones was a former chairman of the Bluefield Fire Commission,
and was a past president of the Mercer County Tuberculosis & Health Association,
Greater Bluefield Sales Executive Club, Bluefield United Way, and Bluefield
Jaycees, who presented Jones with their Bluefield Man of the year award in 1954.
He served on the Board
of Directors of the YMCA, the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, and the
Bluefield Kiwanis Club. A longtime member of Westminster Presbyterian Church,
Jones was a former member and past chairman of Westminster Presbyterian’s Board
of Deacons.
He was an accomplished
tennis player and jazz aficionado, and was very involved in higher education,
serving as president of Bluefield College Alumni Association, 1961 – 62. His
pursuit of continuing education involved his attendance and participation in
numerous professional seminars and institutes throughout his career.
Funeral services will be
conducted Thursday August 31, 2006 at 11:00am at Westminster Presbyterian Church
with Rev. Howard Finkle officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial
Gardens Cemetery at Princeton where Bob Perkinson, Don Pellilo, Ken Kemmerer,
Mike Sudduth, Randy Stevens and Bill Albert will serve as pallbearers. Honorary
pallbearers will be Max Kammer, Al Modena, Dr.Elliott Blaydes and Dr. Jim
Nelson.
The family will receive
friends at Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory Wednesday August 30, 2006 from 6:00 –
8:00 pm.
The family requests that
in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Community Hospices of
America P.O. Box 6364 Bluefield, WV 24701.
Those wishing to share
memories or condolence messages may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com
Mercer Funeral Home &
Crematory of Bluefield is assisting the Jones family with arrangements. |
