William Augustus “Dub” Jones

William Augustus “Dub” Jones, age 99, passed from this life on November 2, 2024, at his home in Ruston, Louisiana.  He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend.  A visitation will be held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Trinity Methodist Church, Ruston, Louisiana, and a funeral service will follow at 2:00 pm at Trinity.

W.A. was born December 29, 1924 in Arcadia, Louisiana, to Bertha Hays Jones and John Earl Jones. He, his widowed mother and his brothers moved to Ruston when he was five. He graduated from Ruston High School, attended LSU, Tulane and graduated from Louisiana Tech.

On June 22, 1946, he married Harriet Schumpert Barnes.  They were a loving and devoted couple, best friends and terrific partners for a lifetime.

He had a distinguished athletic career: he was the starting tailback on the Ruston High’s 1941 state championship team; he attended LSU for one year on a football scholarship, but when WW II began, he joined the US Navy V-12 Program  and was transferred to Tulane University where he also played football, making the All-American team of 1945; he was a first-round draft pick in 1946 and after he was discharged from the Navy, he played one year for the Miami Seahawks, one year with the Brooklyn Dodgers Football Team, and then was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 1948, where he played until his retirement in 1955.   During his eight years with the Browns, they played in the championship game every year and the Browns won five championships.  He won All-Pro honors twice and still shares the record for most touchdowns scored in an NFL game (six).

In 1963, he rejoined the Browns as receiver coach and offensive coordinator and held that position through 1967.  The Browns won the 1964 NFL championship using the offensive scheme and personnel he had developed.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, W. A. was a successful businessman.  He and his brother Richard bought Ruston Lumber & Supply, which they ran for thirty years.  During that time, he, Richard and Bill Waldron founded Triad Builders of Ruston, a general contracting firm. W. A. remained active in Triad into his 90s.  Through the years he was involved in the construction of numerous homes, office buildings, churches, industrial facilities and the development of several residential subdivisions.

Beyond his football and business careers, his interests were many and varied.  He loved the Jones homeplace—”The Farm.”  He was an avid hunter of all sorts of game but quail hunting was his favorite.  He appreciated a good bird dog and had many.  Numerous family members and friends cannot forget trying to keep up with his long strides as he headed toward a dog on point on a faraway hill.  Like his father, he was a horseman and rode almost all his life. When W. A. was 90, he rode a horse while hunting quail in Texas.  He passed that love of horses down to his children.  He was also an enthusiastic golfer, although his golfing skills fell far short of his football talents.

The most important things in W. A.’s life and character were not his football fame, his business interests or even his bird hunting—above all else was his faith in God and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ which guided how he lived his life and how he loved.  He treasured his wife, his children, his extended family and his friends.

He and his wife Schump were life-long members of Trinity Methodist Church.

W.A. was preceded in death by his parents and his four brothers, John Earl Jones, Jr., H. Richard Jones, Bertram H. Jones and Carroll G. Jones.

W.A. is survived by his wife of 78 years, Harriet Schumpert Barnes Jones, and their seven children, William A. Jones, Jr. (Rhonda), Hasson Holt Jones Glasgow, Schumpert Cassity Jones (Cheryl), Bertram Hays Jones (Danni), Benjamin Milton Jones (Meg), Nancy Ruth Jones Knox (Jimmy) and Thomas Barnes Jones (Dell); twenty-two grandchildren, Richard Glasgow (Aimee), Mary Glasgow Germany (Kent), Jennifer Jones Bucha (Jason), Will Jones (Amy), Nancy Glasgow Hunt (Trotter), Cass Jones (Florissa), Tram Jones (Gretchen), Molly Jones Gray (Zach), Bethany Jones McCullough (Clint), Hasson Jones Felber (Eddie), Stephanie Jones Jordan (Ammen), Jack Gray (Jennifer), Benjamin Jones (Wendy), Jessie Gray Bryan (T. J.), Christie Jones, Seth Jones, Grace Jones Byrd (Aaron), Beaux Jones (Emilie), Caleb Jones, Jordan Gray, Aaron Jones (Rachel), and Sarah Jones Birdi (Sandeep); thirty-eight great grandchildren, and a multitude of extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the LA United Methodist Children & Family Services (904 Deville Lane, Ruston, LA 71270) or the charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com

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