William St. John Jones, 85, of Oxford Furnace Rd., Lynchburg, died Monday, May 19, 2014, at his residence. He was the husband of Irene Martin Jones for 63 years.

William was born in Martinsville, VA., on August 15, 1928, a son of the late Bessie Lee and J. Nick Jones. He was a 1949 graduate of Virginia Tech where he received a degree in Agriculture. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets and was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the Army Reserves. Mr. Jones served in the 80th division of Army Reserves for 28 years. He commanded units in Radford, Roanoke, and was battalion commander of the Lynchburg Army Reserve Unit; retiring as a Colonel. He taught agriculture at the New London Academy when it was a high school and while there he met and married his wife, Irene Martin who was the Home Economics teacher. He joined the Virginia Department of Agriculture as a livestock inspector and participated in the states effort to eradicate Brucellosis in cattle. He enjoyed raising Angus cattle and gardening.

In addition to his wife he is survived by two sons, Martin Jones and his wife, Carol of Great Falls, Va. And Barry Jones and wife, Susan of Lynchburg; six grandchildren, Christopher Jones, Casey Jones, Cody Jones, Hollie Daniel and husband, Justin, Amy CasaGrande and husband, Nate, and Laci Jones and special friend, Ryan Fleischmann; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother, J. Nick Jones and a sister, Frances Ann Lucas.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 22, at Indian Hill United Methodist Church by the Rev. James (Wimpy) Martin and the Rev. Nolan Crowder with burial following in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Robinson Funeral Home and Wednesday, May 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. and other times at the residence.

Those wishing to make memorials please consider the Indian Hill UMC, 752 Mt. Vista Drive, Lynchburg, VA 24504.