Franklin Jones Jr.

Franklin Jones Jr., 77, of Marshall passed away Friday, Dec. 18, 2008, in Longview. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2008, at Trinity Episcopal Church with Father John Himes officiating. Interment will follow in Colonial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, December 21st at Downs Funeral Home. Franklin Jones Jr. was born April 24, 1931, in Marshall, to William Franklin Jones Sr. and Huldah Harrison Jones. After graduation from high school he attended New Mexico Military Institute and The University of Texas. He received his B.A. degree from Texas in 1952 and his L.L.B. degree there in 1954. Mr. Jones began the practice of law in Marshall on March 1, 1954, and has practiced there continually until the present. His practice has been primarily that of a civil trial lawyer. He was admitted to the Bar in 1953 in Texas. Mr. Jones has actively engaged in Professional Associations on all levels. He served as President of his local and regional Bar Associations and in 1980-81 served as the 100th President of the State Bar of Texas. He served as Director of the State Bar from 1967-1970 as Vice President in 1970-71. He served on the State Bar administration of Justice Committee, chaired the Committee on Group and Prepaid Legal Services, 1971-1977, and Disciplinary Specialization, 1974-1975, and President of the Texas Legal Protection Plan, 1977-1979. He served as Chairman of the Disciplinary Review Committee from 1984-1987. He served 18 years on The Supreme Court Advisory Committee, 1982-2000, and for three years on The Supreme Court Grievance Oversight Committee, 1987-1990. He served as a Trustee for the Texas Center of Ethics and Professionalism and The University of Texas Law School Foundation. He is a Sustaining Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Jones has been active in the affairs of The American Bar Association as well. He served as State Bar Delegate to the House of Delegates, 1983-1988, and as a member of the Governing Council of the Litigation Section, 1986-1989. He was a member of the ABA Commission to Improve the Liability Insurance System, 1987-1989. Jones was board certified in the fields of Civil Trial law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. On June 25, 2004, Jones was a recipient of the Outstanding Fifty Year Lawyer Award of the Texas Bar Foundation. Jones has been active in civil affairs as well. He currently chairs the Courthouse Preservation Council of Harrison County and was the Marshall Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2002. He is survived by his son, Franklin Jones III and wife Ronna of Karnack; one daughter, Terry Bolger and husband Mark of Mesquite; four grandchildren, Bryan Bolger, Savannah Jones, Tye Jones and Hallie Jones; two great-grandchildren; sister, Jerene Winocour of Marshall; nephew, Jonathan Winocour of Dallas; and bother-in-law, George Francisco III and wife Trebie. Pallbearers will be Otis Carroll, Bill Huffman, Charlie Smith, Mike Miller, Ken Turner, Johnny Ward, Calvin Capshaw and Rodney Gilstrap. Honorary pallbearers will be Carl Bergland and Marshall Cloyd. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to MD Anderson. Email condolences may be sent to the family at keithadowns@aol.com. Downs Funeral Home