FORT WORTH \u2013 Jack Parker Jones, 101, passed away on June 15, 2026. Visitation: 4 \u2013 6 p.m. Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Greenwood Funeral Home in Memorial Suite A, 3344 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth, Texas 76107. Memorial Service: 2 p.m. Monday, June 22, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, 1000 Penn Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. Jack was born on November 11, 1924, in North-Central Oklahoma to Rupert Allen (Steve) and Mary Eloise (Parker) Jones. By his pre-teens, his Dad\u2019s job led the family to western Kansas during the \u201cDust Bowl\u201d era and his Dad was able to obtain a transfer to Houston, Texas, to escape the effects of the terrible dust storms. He said life really began for him there for that is where, in high school, he met and later married the love of his life, the beautiful Virginia Louise Gidden. Louise passed away after their seventy-two wonderful years of marriage. A child of the Great Depression era, Jack began his working career in the warehouse of Mid-Continent Supply Co. in Houston. Over the years, he worked his way up through many line-management positions to become a corporate executive at the company headquarters in Fort Worth and later as a vice president of Kendavis Industries. In 1963, he joined T. E. Mercer Interests where he became administrative vice president and general manager of all Mercer distributorships here and in Florida. In 1972, he joined Kimbell, Inc. and was their vice president of Industrial Relations when it was acquired by Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. in 1976, resulting in his transfer to their headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, where he became vice president and director of Associate Relations and Benefits of the corporation, and president of the Winn-Dixie Foundation. He loved his years at Winn-Dixie and Winn-Dixie honored him for his service. Mr. J. E. Davis, co-founder of Winn-Dixie, called Jack \u201ca Great Human Relations Guy\u201d who \u201cbrought a new dimension to labor relations at Winn-Dixie.\u201d Upon Jack\u2019s retirement, A. Dano Davis, Chairman of the Winn-Dixie Board, wrote that in his corporate role he \u201chas demonstrated his tremendous capability to deal with people, showing his caring attitude and managing his responsibilities in a very professional manner\u201d and called Jack \u201cthe force behind the Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge projects in Gainesville (the first of its kind) and Miami,\u201d which were lodges built by The American Cancer Society to meet an urgent need of free of charge housing for out of town cancer patients receiving treatment as out-patients at a nearby hospital which is not available where they lived. Jack was commended by the ACS for \u201cHis Leadership In Making The Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge a Reality.\u201d President Ronald Reagan presented an award to Winn-Dixie in a ceremony at the White House with Jack accepting on behalf of all the people of Winn-Dixie. In retirement, Jack continued over the years in his dedication to volunteering to serve the needs of others. He was elected president of the North Florida Unit of the American Cancer Society and also served on the American Cancer Society State Board and Executive Committee. He was elected to the Board of Jacksonville\u2019s St. Vincent\u2019s HealthCare Foundation and was soon asked to chair a fund-raising drive. Rather than a traditional campaign he thought of the Sisters who run the medical center and envisioned an ongoing Society, which became the Order of the Cornette, and an annual event providing special recognition to those who make major gifts in support of the Healing Ministry of the Daughters of Charity was born. On his leaving the Board to return to Texas, Sr. Irene Kraus, St. Vincent\u2019s Board Chairman wrote: \u201cThe existence of the Order of the Cornette will remain a living testimony to (Jack\u2019s) creativity and skilled leadership.\u201d He had served his church in Jacksonville a number of terms as chair of its Board of Trustees, and those agencies which help the needy and upon returning to Fort Worth he continued in that effort and was re-elected to the Session of the First Presbyterian Church and served two terms as chair of its Board of Trustees. In its formative years, he was named vice chair of the Board of the Presbyterian Night Shelter, which does so much for the homeless here in Fort Worth. Later, he was invited to join the Board of James L. West Center for Dementia Care, and chaired the Finance Committee for a time. His favorite pass-time was oil painting. He had been a 32nd degree Mason, and Shriner. Above all, he said, was his love for his wonderful wife Louise and their family: sons, Steven and wife, Judy, and David and husband, Francisco Martinez; granddaughters, Terri and husband, Mike Richey, and Stacey Henry; grandson, Matthew and wife, Sarah; great-grandchildren, Emily and husband, Ben DeLeon, Leanna and husband, Justin Reyes, Annalise Henry, Micah Jones and wife, Comfort, Hannah, Havah, and Adah; and great-great-grandsons, Javy Deleon, Evan DeLeon, and Declan Reyes. Charitable contributions may be made to The Louise G. and Jack P. Jones Charitable Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation, 777 Main Street, Suite 2850, Fort Worth, TX, 76102; The Louise Gidden Jones Memorial Scholarship Endowment at Ascension St. Vincent\u2019s Foundation, P.O.Box 41564, Jacksonville, FL 32203; or a charity of choice. GREENWOOD FUNERAL HOME Greenwood Funeral Homes \u2013 Cremation 3344 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, TX 76107 817-336-0584<\/p>\n
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