William Omer Jones

Mr. Jones was born December 15, 1922 in Cedar Grove, West Virginia. He was the son of the late Joe E. Jones and Bertha Rhodes Jones. His siblings are: Joe L. Jones (deceased) and his wife Ruby of Parkersburg, West Virginia; Sister Opal Campbell and her husband George (both deceased), and Ernie Jones and his wife Lita of Langsville, Ohio. Following graduation from East Bank High School, he was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Merchant Marines, and was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 1947. While in the service of his country he married Lee Roy Bernice Bazzell of Osceola, Arkansas on September 21, 1946. They had their only son Samuel Omer Jones on September 20, 1947. William, or as many called him – Omer, was a farmer in Arkansas until he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois where he worked as in operations and maintenance at Amoco Chemicals until his retirement in 1978. He moved to Armuchee on a 20 acre farm next to his son and daughter-in-law Mary Jennifer Fultz Jones. Soon after his arrival in Georgia he began work for Shorter University in several capacities retiring from the Shorter Post Office. Not long after beginning at Shorter University he was preceded in death by Bernice his wife of 31 years. During his tenure at Shorter University Omer was blessed with two grandsons, Stephen Omer Jones and Michael Edward Jones.

In the 1990’s he moved to the Cave Spring community where he worked at the Rome Big Lots where he took pride in quickly unloading the freight from incoming semi-trailers. He met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth Dempsey and married her on April 1, 1999. He then moved to Cedartown and his family grew with the addition of her three children’s families: Mrs. Nancy Dempsey Edwards and her husband Roger, and Jeaneen and her husband Dean both of Cave Spring, and Gerald Dempsey and his wife Tonya, of Rome. Omer also gained seven step-grandchildren: Brian Wells of Cave Spring, Rev. Brent Wells and his wife Amy of Oakland, Tenn., Stephen Edwards and his wife Riannon of Cave Spring, Christy Payton and her husband Roger of Cave Spring, Kelly Mullins of Rome, Miranda Edwards of Cave Spring, and Meredith Edwards of Cave Spring. Once more Omer’s family grew with his grandsons’ marriages: Stephen Jones and his wife Rhianna of Adairsville and Michael Jones and his wife Amy of Rome. Shortly before his second stroke in 2010, Omer enjoyed being the “Big Bad Wolf” with his great granddaughter, Aurora Jones. Sharing his favorite recliner with a great-grandson, Sean, Omer drew great enjoyment from being called “Peanut-head.” The second stroke left him blind, but Omer still enjoyed hearing about his two most recent great-grandchildren, Erik Jones and Evie Kate Jones. Omer and Mary were essential in helping fund and support S.O.W. Serving Others Worldwide, a local non-profit organization to assist the homeless.

Funeral services for Mr. Jones will be conducted Saturday April 2, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rome, with Rev. Tom Wood and Rev. Brad Dillard officiating. Interment will follow at East View Cemetery where Shanklin-Attaway Post 5 American Legion Honor Guard will provide military rites. Those serving as pallbearers are Stephen Jones, Mike Jones, Matt Campbell, Ken Davis, Gerald Dempsey, and Guy Bookout.

The family will receive friends Friday April 1, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Daniel’s Funeral Home, Rome. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to S.O.W. 404 South Broad St. Rome, GA. 30161. Daniel’s Funeral Home has charge of the funeral arrangements.