Garnett Cecil Jones

On Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008, at 9:30 p.m. Garnett C. Jones Sr., 81, cofounder of Piggly Wiggly of Baton Rouge and Lafayette, died of cancer after a two-year illness. He, along with Skipper Jones, Ted Harvey and Jeff Jones, opened their first Piggly Wiggly, in Plaquemine, in 1984. They operated six Piggly Wiggly stores in Baton Rouge and four in Lafayette, with more than 500 employees. Garnett Sr. started in the grocery business with Winn-Dixie as a store manager at the Twin Cedars location on Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. He managed Winn-Dixie for 20 years before retiring in 1984. Mr. Jones managed the company's real estate. The company owns three of the shopping centers where the stores operate. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II. Visiting at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Friday, Feb. 15, was from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visiting resumes at the funeral home Saturday from 8 a.m. until religious service at 10 a.m., conducted by his grandson, Jeffrey Jones. Memorial service at Gash Memorial Chapel, Lawrenceburg, Ky., on Monday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. Interment in Ebenezer Cemetery, Salvisa, Ky. He is survived by his wife, Vada Jones, of Baton Rouge; daughter, Jennifer Jones Matthews and spouse Tim, of Denham Springs; three sons and their spouses, Garnett "Skipper" Jr. and Cecilia Jones and Charles "Chuck" and Linda Jones, all of Denham Springs, and Jeffrey Sr. and Rhonda Jones, of St. Amant; two sisters, Gladys Jones Satterly, of Lawrenceburg, and Julia "Dolly" Jones and spouse Randal Robinson, of Salvisa; brother, Glen Jones, of Richmond, Ky.; 13 grandchildren, Danielle Satawa and husband Jamie, Melissa Knutsen, Garnett "Chip" Jones III, Jeffrey Jones, John Jones, Dakota Jones, Tim Matthews, Wesly Matthews, Dillon Matthews, Tony Bostwick, Marty Bostwick, Darla Cefoilia and Doris Ray Bostwick; and six great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Christian Knutsen, Brayden Satawa, Luke Matthews, and Skylar and Cameron Bond. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Julia Belle Jones; brother, Sam Jones; son, Edward James Jones; and daughter, Laura Lynn Jones. Pallbearers will be Hal Douglas Satterly, Stephen Robinson, Reggie Robinson, Eddie Robinson, Glen Jones Jr., Mike Jones and Mark Jones.