Kay Jones

Kay was born on September 16, 1953, in Houston, Mississippi, daughter of Rose Margaret and William Edward Burgess. They soon relocated to Lucedale, Mississippi where she learned the virtues of small-town living and the strong values of family and love. It was here that she attended Lucedale Elementary and graduated from George County High School. She furthered her education by receiving an Associates's degree from Perkinston Junior College and a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Business Education, and a Specialist of Business Education from the University of Mississippi. It was at “Ole Miss” that she met the love of her life.

As a member of the Wesley Foundation of the United Methodist Church, she met Rick in 1976. He was a struggling graduate student that desperately needed her help. Later in life, Rick’s dad would tell her that she was the best thing to ever happen to Rick. They dated for short while and decided to get married on January 1, 1978. Many would suspect that this was so that he would not forget their marriage anniversary, when in fact it was because the date fell on a Sunday when there were no football bowl games on.

After they married, the couple moved to Selma, Alabama where she took a job as a legal secretary and then as a business teacher for a job training program at the local community college. Both enjoyed living here as it was an equal distance from each of their parent’s homes.

In 1982, Rick’s job took him to Del Rio, Texas where Kay found employment at Del Rio High School as a business education teacher. It was here that she enjoyed learning about new cultures and new ideas. It was also here that she experience the gift of life with the birth of her son, JW. Kay was a proud mother and loved him with all her heart. Tragedy though stuck in 1984 when JW contracted a brain infection that caused him to be left side impaired and mentally challenged. That didn’t stop her though. Her love for him only intensified to make sure that he received the physical therapy and the best education available to him. She was his champion in every facet of his life and continued to be so until her death.

The family moved to Columbus in 1988, again due to Rick’s job opportunity. It was here that she secured employment with Phillips Business College where she taught typing. She then moved on to Spencer High School, and it was here that Kay had some of her most memorable and enjoyable years as a teacher. It was also here that she met many of the teachers at the school that would be her lifelong friends. Friends she would always cherish. She once said that she would never care to leave Spencer, but Columbus High School’s job of being the Career Education Department Chair came calling. She would spend several good years and eventually leave for Jordan High School where she would retire in 2015. She loved her students wherever she went and always wanted the very best for them.

During her retirement years, she would focus most of her attention on JW to ensure his quality of life. Kay loved going to the Springer Opera House and to the Rivercenter for the Performing Arts to see live performances and concerts. More importantly, though, she enjoyed going out for meals with her husband and friends. At home, she enjoyed all the home improvement and wedding shows on television, even the ones that were reruns. The DVR was also her friend as she always wanted to watch her favorite drama or detective show as it was quality time for her and Rick in the late evenings. She was also an avid reader, reading anything that John Grisham wrote as long as it was in hardback. And if you wanted her to be your friend, just make sure you had plenty of Diet Coke on hand.

It was also during this time that she would contract diabetes and eventually cancer. Kay was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and immediately began treatment. Between diabetes and cancer, she fought a long and hard battle. She never gave up and she never complained. A complication of these illnesses and other factors led to her eventual passing.

Kay was a strong, educated, and loving woman as evidenced by the life she led. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband, James W. "Rick" Jones, II; her son, James William "JW" Jones, III; her brother, William E. “Eddie” Burgess Jr.; nephews, William Burgess, Edwin Burgess, Chris Buttrill, Daniel Buttrill, Matt Buttrill, and Stephen Buttrill; nieces, Anna Isahaq and Hope Gulsby; aunt, Ann (Eddie) Bean; uncle, Jim (Mary Ann) Earp and many beloved great-nieces and nephews.

The family would also like to express its eternal gratitude to the hard-working nurses and doctors at Piedmont Midtown who compassionately cared for her and the loving support shown by Kay’s church family at Striplin Terrace United Methodist Church, and her lifetime friends who were always there to support her in her time of need.

A celebration of her life will take place on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 3 pm (EST) at the Chapel at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary. Friends and family members are encouraged to attend and bring a mask as social distancing will be a part of this service. If you cannot attend, you are invited to watch live online through the mortuary’s Facebook page. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, from 5 to 7 pm at the mortuary. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.shcolumbus.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Easter Seals of West Georgia, 2515 Double Churches Rd., Columbus, GA 31909 or to Striplin Terrace United Methodist Church, 4170 Striplin Terrace, Columbus, GA 31909.