Obituary of Darden Watkins Jones DARDEN WATKINS JONES FRANKLIN DENTIST, DIES AT 94 RECEIVED HONORS FOR CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS (headline) Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) - Tuesday, March 21, 2000 Dentist Darden Watkins Jones of Franklin was always involved in projects that involved people, and he was determined to succeed at whatever he attempted. Last year, at 93, despite macular degeneration that limited his reading and writing abilities, he was co-chairman of a drive to buy the Franklin Lions Club a community center and helped find the 20 men necessary to start the Franklin Lions Club Community Center. A charter member and an organizer of the club, he was twice elected president, served as zone president and was named a national Lions Club Melvin Jones Fellow for "dedicated humanitarian services." For more than 67 years, he had perfect club attendance, seeking out clubs in other cities when he went on trips. Dr. Jones, 94, died Sunday in a Southampton hospital. A Nansemond County native and the second of eight children, he earned a bachelor's degree at Elon College in 1927. Unsure what profession to pursue, he followed a friend who was a dental student to Emory University, where he received a degree in dental surgery in 1931. "He had to work his way through," said his wife, Annie Glenn Jones. "Each summer he had a sandwich shop in Virginia Beach, where he said he could make more money than pulling teeth. He sold dental equipment to students." After graduating from dental school, he returned to Franklin to establish a dental practice that would continue for 45 years. In 1946, Dr. Jones was elected to Franklin Town Council and served for 28 years. He was mayor of Franklin from 1957 to 1974. During his tenure, Franklin progressed through many changes, including from a town to a city as the result of a 1960 annexation. He also was instrumental in the construction of a City Health Center and establishment of Paul D. Camp Community College. In 1973, he was named First Citizen of Franklin for his humanitarian, civic and professional contributions to his community. For more than 67 years, he was a member of Franklin Congregational Christian Church, where he was a former chairman of the deacons and trustees boards, sang tenor for more than 50 years in the choir, chaired the music committee and served as Sunday school superintendent. He served on the first board of visitors of Old Dominion University and was president for several years of Hillcrest Nursing Home in Suffolk. At the time of his death, he had served for more than 30 years as a director of the Tidewater Automobile Association. He was a member of the Franklin-Southampton Chamber of Commerce and was a member and former treasurer of the Cypress Cove Country Club. Dr. Jones also was instrumental in the organization of the Bank of Franklin, now United Community Bank, and served as board chairman for 17 years. His first wife, Sara V. Rawlings Jones, died in 1966. In addition to Annie Glenn Jones, his wife of 31 years, he is survived by two sons, Darden W. "Watt" Jones Jr. of Norfolk and Edgar R. Jones of Williamsburg; a stepson, James A. Nicholas Jr. of Flushing, N.Y.; a stepdaughter, Glenda Burke of Richmond; and a sister, Mary Rawles Stephenson of Suffolk. His funeral will be Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Franklin Congregational Christian Church in Franklin. Burial will be in Poplar Spring Cemetery in Franklin. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ––– Narrative Summary of the Obituary ––– Darden Watkins Jones, a Franklin dentist and civic leader, died 19 Mar 2000 in a Southampton hospital at age 94. He served 45 years as a dentist and was mayor of Franklin from 1957 to 1974, contributing to civic and educational development. Funeral services were held 22 Mar 2000 at 3:30 p.m. at Franklin Congregational Christian Church in Franklin. Burial followed at Poplar Spring Cemetery in Franklin. ––– Transcript ––– DARDEN WATKINS JONES FRANKLIN DENTIST, DIES AT 94 RECEIVED HONORS FOR CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) - Tuesday, March 21, 2000 Dentist Darden Watkins Jones of Franklin was always involved in projects that involved people, and he was determined to succeed at whatever he attempted. Last year, at 93, despite macular degeneration that limited his reading and writing abilities, he was co-chairman of a drive to buy the Franklin Lions Club a community center and helped find the 20 men necessary to start the Franklin Lions Club Community Center. A charter member and an organizer of the club, he was twice elected president, served as zone president and was named a national Lions Club Melvin Jones Fellow for "dedicated humanitarian services." For more than 67 years, he had perfect club attendance, seeking out clubs in other cities when he went on trips. Dr. Jones, 94, died Sunday [19 March 2000] in a Southampton hospital. A Nansemond County native and the second of eight children, he earned a bachelor's degree at Elon College in 1927. Unsure what profession to pursue, he followed a friend who was a dental student to Emory University, where he received a degree in dental surgery in 1931. "He had to work his way through," said his wife, Annie Glenn Jones. "Each summer he had a sandwich shop in Virginia Beach, where he said he could make more money than pulling teeth. He sold dental equipment to students." After graduating from dental school, he returned to Franklin to establish a dental practice that would continue for 45 years. In 1946, Dr. Jones was elected to Franklin Town Council and served for 28 years. He was mayor of Franklin from 1957 to 1974. During his tenure, Franklin progressed through many changes, including from a town to a city as the result of a 1960 annexation. He also was instrumental in the construction of a City Health Center and establishment of Paul D. Camp Community College. In 1973, he was named First Citizen of Franklin for his humanitarian, civic and professional contributions to his community. For more than 67 years, he was a member of Franklin Congregational Christian Church, where he was a former chairman of the deacons and trustees boards, sang tenor for more than 50 years in the choir, chaired the music committee and served as Sunday school superintendent. He served on the first board of visitors of Old Dominion University and was president for several years of Hillcrest Nursing Home in Suffolk. At the time of his death, he had served for more than 30 years as a director of the Tidewater Automobile Association. He was a member of the Franklin-Southampton Chamber of Commerce and was a member and former treasurer of the Cypress Cove Country Club. Dr. Jones also was instrumental in the organization of the Bank of Franklin, now United Community Bank, and served as board chairman for 17 years. His first wife, Sara V. Rawlings Jones, died in 1966. In addition to Annie Glenn Jones, his wife of 31 years, he is survived by two sons, Darden W. "Watt" Jones Jr. of Norfolk and Edgar R. Jones of Williamsburg; a stepson, James A. Nicholas Jr. of Flushing, N.Y.; a stepdaughter, Glenda Burke of Richmond; and a sister, Mary Rawles Stephenson of Suffolk. His funeral will be Wednesday [22 March 2000] at 3:30 p.m. at Franklin Congregational Christian Church in Franklin. Burial will be in Poplar Spring Cemetery in Franklin. ––– Vital Statistics ––– |------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Darden Watkins Jones | | Age | 94 | | Birth | 1906 (estimated); Nansemond County, Virginia | | Death | 19 March 2000; Southampton County, Virginia | |------------------------------------------------------| ––– Table of Relationships ––– |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Relationship | Residence | | Darden Watkins Jones | Decedent | Franklin, Virginia | | Annie Glenn Jones | Wife | Franklin, Virginia | | Sara V. Rawlings Jones | First wife, predeceased | — | | Darden W. "Watt" Jones Jr. | Son | Norfolk, Virginia | | Edgar R. Jones | Son | Williamsburg, Virginia | | James A. Nicholas Jr. | Stepson | Flushing, New York | | Glenda Burke | Stepdaughter | Richmond, Virginia | | Mary Rawles Stephenson | Sister | Suffolk, Virginia | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| ––– Publication Details ––– |------------------------------------| | Field | Value | | Location | Richmond, Virginia | | Name | Richmond Times-Dispatch | | Date | 21 March 2000 | |------------------------------------| ––– Other Relevant Information ––– • Dentist in Franklin for 45 years • Bachelor’s degree from Elon College in 1927 • Dental surgery degree from Emory University in 1931 • Elected to Franklin Town Council in 1946 and served 28 years • Mayor of Franklin from 1957 to 1974 • Helped establish Paul D. Camp Community College • Named First Citizen of Franklin in 1973 • Member of Franklin Congregational Christian Church for more than 67 years • Chairman of church deacons and trustees boards • Choir tenor for more than 50 years • Sunday school superintendent • Served on first board of visitors of Old Dominion University • President of Hillcrest Nursing Home in Suffolk for several years • Director of Tidewater Automobile Association for more than 30 years • Member of Franklin-Southampton Chamber of Commerce • Former treasurer of Cypress Cove Country Club • Instrumental in organizing Bank of Franklin and served 17 years as board chairman • Spouse's birth name was Annie Glenn Jones • Also known as "Watt" [Contributed by Bruce Saunders, bs4403@verizon.net] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may have contributed to the creation of this text. 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