Max Kesler Jones

1938 - 2014

Max Kesler Jones, 76, passed away Friday, July 25, 2014, in Fort Worth. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, First Christian Church, 2109 W. Hwy. 377, Granbury.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials are made to the Max and Suzanne Jones Scholarship Fund at Texas Christian University, TCU Box 297044, Fort Worth, Texas, 76129; or The Scholarship Fund, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 2109 West Highway 377, Granbury, Texas, 76049.

Max was born on May 9, 1938, in Hereford. He graduated from Ruidoso High School in New Mexico, TCU in 1960, and Yale University Divinity School in 1964. While at Yale, Max was instrumental in organizing the school's 1963 March on Washington, which began his lifetime commitment to civil rights.

In 1962 Max married Suzanne Smith, driven -- some friends would quip -- by the thought that her name would become Mrs. Smith Jones. This began a lifetime partnership, which Max would say was the reason for his incredible string of public service achievements. From 1969 to 1973, Max was director of Capital Campaigns at TCU, but soon was tapped to become president of the Arkansas Council of Independent Colleges. There only a few years, colleagues in institutional advancement worked to get him back to Texas and in 1976 he became president of the Texas Independent College Fund. His commitment to public service lured him to the presidency of Wellway Centers Inc. in 1984, and eventually president and executive director of the Texas War on Drugs in 1990. An ordained minister, he finally gave in to many requests to serve churches, and accepted a post as senior minister at First Christian Church in Granbury, where he and Suzanne had been living. He also served as development and governance consultant for Brite Divinity School, associated with his beloved TCU. Max was president of his senior class at TCU and he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and had been an avid Horned Frog ever since. He loved all things purple, and one of his happiest days was when TCU won the Rose Bowl!

Max served on numerous boards and worked on countless projects. Everyone wanted his time and leadership. In 1996 he became chairman of the board of the Division of Higher Education of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He also served on the board of the Independent College Fund of America. In Fort Worth in 1987 he won the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE) top award, which joined many other recognitions, including first-place awards from Levi Straus and IBM.

Max's passions were all related to people. He loved them. He had so many friends that he would run into someone he knew no matter where he was in the United States. This was so true, it became legendary. On one occasion, he and a friend had a bet when at Disneyland. Who would be the first to see someone he knew? Max wanted to win so much he walked up to a stranger and roped him into his scam! His family says during vacation trips he always had a trivia history lesson or a past experience to offer. This happened so often they referred to each other as the "Griswolds." Life with Max was a big adventure and pure joy for everyone.

Max was preceded in death by daughter, Kinley Jones, and his parents, Harold and Maudetha Jones.

Max is survived by his wife, Suzanne Smith Jones of Granbury; son, Kyle Weldon Jones of Granbury; daughter, Lacey Jones Gomez; granddaughter, Elysia Kinley Sue Gomez of Fort Worth; sister, Darlene Jones Crouch and husband, Tom, of Longmont, Colo.; sister-in-law, Pam Moore and Gary Johnson of Fairview; six nieces and nephews.