Guntown—Jerry Eugene Jones, age 85, passed away on April 4, 2026. He was born to Alice Aileen Ashley Jones and William Marshall Jones on October 8, 1940, in Missouri. He graduated from Barnes Hall High School in Covington, Tennessee. During his senior year, he was asked to be on the yearbook staff. He said it was because he was the fastest typist. When asked about his senior yearbook, he replied that they “didn’t have” $3 for him to purchase one.

The man he looked up to, had much respect for, and called Dad was Glen Knight. He had two sisters, June Carol Knight Cox and Emma Sue Knight Hallmark.

After graduating high school in 1958, he married his sweetheart, Annetra Miles. Together they had three children: Debra Homan (Ron) of Saltillo, Dewayne Jones of Saltillo, and Gene Jones (Shonda) of Guntown.

He had seven grandchildren: Clifton Homan, Candice Homan Huhn (Gary), DJ Jones (Minami), Cameron Jones (Haley), Bryson Jones, Ashley Jones Nix (David), and Jarrett Jones (Zaniah); 15 great-grandchildren: John David Homan, Annesleigh Homan, Rue Homan, Ellie Homan, Max Homan, Luke Homan, Lucy Homan, Ali Jones, Mason Jones, Fisher Jones, Everly Jones, Colt Nix, Jetsen Jones, Jaxon Jones, and Jagger Jones; step-great-grandchildren: Cameron Huhn, Catherine Huhn, Will Huhn (Lindsay), Jaycee Nix, Timothy Nix, and Carter Willis; one great-great-grandchild, Waylon Huhn; along with several nieces and nephews.

Jerry loved cars, trucks, and tractors. He worked at GM in St. Louis, Missouri for several years and purchased several vehicles before production, watching them as they went down the assembly line. Although his job was on the Corvette line working with fiberglass, he would get away as much as he could to check on his cars while they were being assembled.

Some of his purchases included a 1962 Impala two-door hardtop, a 1964 Chevy pickup with a short wheelbase, and a 1966 Chevelle two-door hardtop. The Chevelle was bought to use as the family car, but it didn’t take long for him to realize it was too fast for the streets and needed to be on the track (drag strip). In the late 1960s, he began his drag racing stint. He told the story of running an entire season with the same motor in the Chevelle while winning every race.

The Chevelle was originally black but was later painted metal-flake blue by Tim Bolen. His next race car was a red 1968 Camaro.

There was one race, on a Friday night, where he blew his motor. He came home and began to tear it down. Mitchel Scruggs joined him, and they worked on that motor all night and into the next day, but it was ready for the Saturday night race.

He worked at many places, including Penn Tire. He also managed a Gulf station on Gloster Street in Tupelo, in front of the old mall, before there was a mall. He ran the auto parts store in Saltillo for many years. He opened and operated Saltillo Radiator and Garage for nearly 40 years. He also managed the Texaco station in Saltillo for a few years along with the radiator shop. He was an excellent mechanic and could tell you what you needed just by listening to the motor run.

He is preceded in death by his wives, Annetra Miles Jones, Marian Jones, and Judy Gregory Jones; his parents, Alice Aileen Ashley Jones and William Marshall Jones; Glen Knight, who raised him from a toddler and whom he called Daddy; his sister, Emma Hallmark; a sister who died at a young age; and his great-granddaughter, Amber Homan.

He loved being called Daddy and Papaw. The grandchildren loved going to Papaw’s house. He was the patriarch of our family and his children’s hero on earth, too.

He was a faithful member of Birmingham Ridge Baptist Church until his health kept him from attending. He was a believer in God and had accepted Him as his Savior.

He was loved by many and will surely be missed.

Visitation will be 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Pegues, Saltillo.

Services honoring the life of Mr. Jones will be 11 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Saltillo Chapel of Pegues Funeral Directors with Dr. Phil Ellis officiating. A private family graveside will follow at Euclatubba Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy and fond memories may be made at www.PeguesFuneralHome.com.