Dr. Willis Thomas Jones Jr.

Willis Thomas Jones Jr., 96, of Baytown Texas, passed away on Monday, March 13th, 2017. W.T. or T-Bone, as he was known, was born in Cleburne, Texas, on July 8, 1920, to Willis Thomas Jones Sr. and Lena Jones Jones. He was one of 11 children. In 1934, when he was 14 years old, his family moved to Goose Creek.

After being voted ""Most Athletic"" for playing basketball and tennis during his senior year, he graduated from Lee High School in 1938. W.T. then started attending Lee College in Baytown, while also working for Humble Oil as a carpenter's helper. Before participating in his graduation commencement program in 1941, he was called to serve our country in World War II.

After serving in 3 different Air Force units, April 11th, 1942, found him being stationed in England, where he attained the rank of Major. He was then assigned to a B-17 bomber group, which was the first bomb group to go to England. In November 1942, he completed his 9th mission as a gunner, beating the forces of General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, aka ""The Desert Fox"". On Christmas Day 1942, W.T. arrived in Italy, where he received a new squadron leader, who made him a bombardier. In July of 1944, while flying over Vienna, Austria, in a B-17 bomber, his plane was shot down. He was on his 45th mission. One more mission would have found him headed home. Before crash landing, W.T. was the last occupant to bail out safely. After being cut down from a tree where he and his parachute landed, he was taken as a POW by the Germans. On May 3rd, 1945, after being held captive for 10 months, W.T. was released from Stalag Luft 11 in Barth, Germany.

He then started the 2 month process of going home to Baytown, where he finally arrived on July 3rd, 1945. He instantly told his mother that he was taking a hot shower, eating a good meal, and going out to find his future wife whom he would marry in 6 weeks. Little did he know that he would reconnect that very evening with a beautiful high school classmate and that they would be married in about 6 weeks. August 25th, 1945, found him marrying Ina Mae Hamrick, whom he was married to for almost 71 years, before her death in June of 2016.

W.T. started attending the University of Texas at Austin in 1946. Once again, he was unable to participate in his graduation commencement. This time was because he was accepted at medical school and had to start immediately. After obtaining his doctorate in 1950, he began his family practice with his beautiful wife, Ina Mae, by his side as his bookkeeper.

The year of 1956 came along and found Goose Creek Country Club opening. W.T. and Ina Mae were two of the original stockholders. W.T. loved to golf when he could find the time and was on the Board of Directors for many years.

Baytown's 4th major hospital, Gulf Coast Hospital, opened at the intersection of Garth Road and SH 146, on August 15th, 1959. It occupied 12 beautiful acres and had 50 beds. W.T. was a hospital founder, along with Dr. H.W. Kilpatrick, Dr. Percy Fayle, Dr. George Walmsley, Dr. Bill Sharp and Dr. Bob Hill. In 1963, when specialists started arriving on the medical scene, he attended 2 years of anesthesiology school at Houston's Hermann Hospital.

In approximately 1966, W.T. was a passenger in a plane that crash landed on a highway in Mexico. The wing clipped a fanner's pickup truck, scaring the poor man to death. Another pickup came by and transported them to a local hospital for minor injuries. All were released from the hospital without incident.

Two years later, around 1968, W.T. was on a hunting expedition in Mexico with several buddies. They were crossing the border when they garnered the attention of the Federales, who ended up confiscating all of their guns. The men were then released to continue on to the hunting grounds, with no guns. Those guns are still in Mexico, somewhere.

Four years later, in 1972, he encountered the Mexican General and his army while at H.W.'s ranch in Mexico. The ranch was surrounded and the men were held there until H.W. made his ""protection payment"" to the General. Once that happened, the Army left them alone.

On July 8th, 1985, his 65th birthday, W.T. retired from the medical field.

July 4th, 2003, W.T. finally received his Lee College diploma, which he should have received in 1941. It was presented by Lee College Board of Regent Member Wayne Gray while at the home of W.T.'s youngest sister, Betty Lou Dutton and her husband Johnnie, in front of a large crowd. He is probably the oldest Lee College graduate.

At the age of 80, in 2000, he started fulfilling his dream for woodworking. He learned to make boxes of all shapes and sizes, often inlaying the top with turquoise or exotic woods from other countries. He also made animal puzzles, knives, tumbling cars, palm crosses, blanket chests and a few pieces of small furniture. In December of 2003, W.T. and Ina Mae moved to Georgetown, Texas. While living there, he enjoyed working in Sun City's state-of-the-art woodshop pretty much every day. They returned to Baytown 6 ½ years later.

When he was 90, on May 22nd, 2010 W.T. was finally presented with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. He didn't receive the degree when he should have because of being accepted to medical school in the late 40's. To date, he is the oldest UT graduate.

Doc Jones enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf and traveling. He is a past member of Baytown First Christian Church and The Worship Place in Georgetown. He is currently a member of Baytown Faith Presbyterian.

His society memberships include: American Surgical Association, Texas Medical Association, East Harris County Medical Society, University of Texas Alumni Association, Arabia Shrine Temple, Goose Creek Masonic Lodge # 1192, since 1960 and the American Medical Association.

He is preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers who died as infants: his wife Ina Mae Hamrick Jones; his sister Genevieve Jones of Fredericksburg, Texas; brother Colonel Donald A. Jones retired USAF. of Kingwood, Texas; and ""brother"" friend Dr. H.W. Kilpatrick III of Baytown, Uvalde and Forney, Texas.

Surviving family members include son JaRo Jones and his wife of Huntington, Texas, and son George ""Mister"" Jones and his wife Tammy of Baytown. Grandchildren include Bonnie MacMillan of Edinburgh, Scotland, Jay Jones and his wife Kara of Seattle, Washington, and Shay Johnson. There are three great-grandchildren: Katelyn Harbison of San Bernadino, California and Reeder Jones and Hunter Rose Jones of Seattle, Washington. Surviving brothers and sisters are Maurine Dyer and Gladine Stirman of Abilene, Milton Edward Jones and wife Suann of Round Rock, and Betty Dutton and husband Johnnie of Baytown. Several nieces and nephews remain.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 17th 2017, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m, at Navarre Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, Texas.

Funeral services will be held in the chapel at Navarre on Saturday, March 18th, 2017, at 10 a.m., with burial immediately following at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 8624 Garth Road in Baytown, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Faith Community Hospice at 4721 Garth Road, Baytown, Texas 77521, or Faith Presbyterian Church at 3900 N. Main Street, Baytown 77521, The American Heart Assoc. or American Cancer Society.

The family would like to thank all employees of Faith Community Hospice, especially Erin, Lisa, Kay, Sandi, Tammy and Felicia. We also thank The Waterford at Baytown Senior Living for their love and compassion during this difficult time. We especially thank our ""angel"" Julia Morton for her love, support, and continued presence. Throughout this process, we have gained a few new family members to treasure forever.

If possible, please wear U.T. attire or red, white and blue to the services.

To view the online obituary or to post a tribute for the family, go to www.navarrefuneralhome.com

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Dr., Baytown, TX, 77521 (281) 422-8111.