Edward "Ted" Lee Jones, Jr.

Edward “Ted” Lee Jones passed away from this life to be with his Savior on Saturday, August 2, 2025. He departed in peace, convinced of the promise of Romans 8:39—that “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.”

Ted was born on June 27, 1942, to the late Ed and Phala Vick Jones. He is survived by his sister, Phala Starnes of Monroe, NC; his brother, John David Jones and wife, Jan, of Laurens, SC; and his beloved nieces and nephews—Melanie, Mark, Mary Beth, Joy, Matthew, and Michael—as well as numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, all of whom affectionately knew him as “Uncle Ted.” His brother, Bill, preceded him in death.

A graduate of Greensboro Senior High School, Ted showed a commitment to justice and compassion early in life. During the Civil Rights Movement, he and fellow church youth group members welcomed the first Black student who attended their high school, choosing to sit with her at lunch so she would not be alone. Even as a teen, he spoke openly to adults on the importance of equality during a volatile time in our nation’s history.

Ted earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia Bible College and served as an assistant to the chaplain at West Point in the U.S. Army. He later pastored a small church before completing his Master of Divinity at Trinity Evangelical Seminary in Illinois. What began as a short-term opportunity led to multiple years as a special education teacher. Eventually, Ted pursued a childhood dream—becoming a bus operator for Pace Suburban Bus, a transit system serving communities in the Chicago metropolitan area. For more than 30 years, he drove with excellence and care, earning the distinguished Two Million Miler Award for 25 years of accident-free service. He was a familiar, friendly face to his riders, taking joy in encouraging them in their daily lives.

Ted’s interests were wide and rooted in his love for beauty and connection. He enjoyed traveling, photographing nature, tracing family genealogy, chatting with neighbors, working out at the Y, and faithfully supporting missionaries through his church. An avid lover of opera and choral music, Ted also sang in several community choirs. A cherished memory was performing at Carnegie Hall with a group from his hometown outside of Chicago.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Westover Church Missionary Fund in Ted’s name: 505 Muirs Chapel Rd., Greensboro, NC 27410.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Ted’s caring neighbors, his friends at the YMCA, and the Westover Church care ministry team for their faithful support.