Rev. Willie Crafton Jones
December 23, 1934 — October 12, 2015
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Past Services
Memorial Service
Hay Street United Methodist Church
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Rev. Willie Crafton Jones
Reverend Willie Crafton Jones, 80, of Fayetteville, passed away on Monday, October 12, 2015, in Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, in the presence of his loving family.
Willie Jones was born two miles south of Dunn, North Carolina on a cold Sunday evening, December 23, 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression. Hunger and unemployment were rampant. His parents were, John Phillip Jones and Martha Elizabeth Maynard Jones. His Dad, was a famer. They were poor but rich in spiritual things. His Grandfather Hassie Jones was an ordained minister. His parents and grandparents were Christians. Thank God.
Around the age of three he had a dream about God and heavens. His cousin who was a young ordained minister found out about his dream and started a Bible study with him. He would sit on his knees sometimes, as he would explain God’s word to him. He was excited and always wanted to hear more. As the years went by he studied God’s word in the hope that He would one day use him as one of His ambassadors.
At the age of 18 he spent three years in the Army going to Korea where he was injured and came home unable to work for several years, spending six months in the VA hospital. He worked a couple of years as a Correctional Officer for the state in Raleigh NC, later he went into law enforcement serving until 1975. At that time he went to work in Finance.
He retired in 1984 and began working with the churches in the local area. On his 54th birthday, God once again came to him in a dream and told him He had chosen him, even before he was born to be a minister. He began at this time to write the Charter for a ministry, which he named Bethel Ministries, Inc. His ministry was chartered on 11 February 1989.
For fourteen months Bethel Ministries operated a Food Bank with over 300 people receiving food monthly, a Clothing Bank, Rest Home Ministry, all in Fayetteville, and a prison ministry in Sampson County. Plans were to extend the prison ministry to several other counties.
Bethel means the House of God – was conceived in the mind of the Creator God of the Universe long before he was born. His ministry was dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Good News) to all men and women regardless of race, religion, creed, or national origin. Reverend Jones wrote weekly articles for the Sampson Independent newspaper and the East Cumberland News Register as a public service. Anyone can read his articles and his hope is the Creator will speak to your hearts and bring you to the true knowledge of His Plan of Salvation.
He was awarded numerous certificates and awards including accepting Christ and becoming an ordained Minister on May 15, 1982, Member of Clergy, Reverend of Bethel Ministries of Fayetteville, Certificate of Appreciation from North Carolina Governor James Hunt 1 April 1994, Certificate of Appreciation from North Carolina Governor James Martin 1 April 1992, Lay Speaker’s Certificate from the United Methodist Church 1990, Member of Cape Fear Community Food Bank of Fayetteville, NC 10 April 1989.
Willie was preceeded in death by his grandson, Willie Crafton Tart; great-grandson, Alexander Hubbard; brother, Carl Jones; and sisters, Garnett Brinson and Wanza Marie Parker; and brother, Odelle Jones.
He is survived by his daughter, Delores Jones Gill and husband Anderson of Fayetteville; sons, Chet Diamond and wife Elana of Charlotte and W.C. Groves of Lake Waccamaw; grandchildren, Candie Medlin, Tonya Mutts and wife Mary, Farrell Howard and wife Katherine, Vernon Groves, Misty Graham and husband Emanuel; great-grandchildren, John Wesley Medlin, Kimberleigh Medlin, Damian Davis, Nathanial Hubbard, D’Angelo Howard, Elijah Howard, Shaylene Jacobs, Cheyanne Jacobs; great-great grandchild, Alexander Cook; sisters, Alease Brewington and husband Quincy of Dunn, Genevie Maynor of Fayetteville, Joan Holland and husband Larry of Hope Mills, and Patricia Maynor of Dunn; brothers, Curley Jones and wife Peggy of Dunn, Phil Jones and wife Debbie of Charlotte; and granddog, Milo.
A memorial service officiated by Rev. James C. Davis will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Sullivan’s Highland Funeral service on Saturday, October 17, 2015. A private burial will be conducted at a date to be determined in Antioch Freewill Holiness Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to Delores Gill.
Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service & Crematory, Inc.
Willie Jones was born two miles south of Dunn, North Carolina on a cold Sunday evening, December 23, 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression. Hunger and unemployment were rampant. His parents were, John Phillip Jones and Martha Elizabeth Maynard Jones. His Dad, was a famer. They were poor but rich in spiritual things. His Grandfather Hassie Jones was an ordained minister. His parents and grandparents were Christians. Thank God.
Around the age of three he had a dream about God and heavens. His cousin who was a young ordained minister found out about his dream and started a Bible study with him. He would sit on his knees sometimes, as he would explain God’s word to him. He was excited and always wanted to hear more. As the years went by he studied God’s word in the hope that He would one day use him as one of His ambassadors.
At the age of 18 he spent three years in the Army going to Korea where he was injured and came home unable to work for several years, spending six months in the VA hospital. He worked a couple of years as a Correctional Officer for the state in Raleigh NC, later he went into law enforcement serving until 1975. At that time he went to work in Finance.
He retired in 1984 and began working with the churches in the local area. On his 54th birthday, God once again came to him in a dream and told him He had chosen him, even before he was born to be a minister. He began at this time to write the Charter for a ministry, which he named Bethel Ministries, Inc. His ministry was chartered on 11 February 1989.
For fourteen months Bethel Ministries operated a Food Bank with over 300 people receiving food monthly, a Clothing Bank, Rest Home Ministry, all in Fayetteville, and a prison ministry in Sampson County. Plans were to extend the prison ministry to several other counties.
Bethel means the House of God – was conceived in the mind of the Creator God of the Universe long before he was born. His ministry was dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Good News) to all men and women regardless of race, religion, creed, or national origin. Reverend Jones wrote weekly articles for the Sampson Independent newspaper and the East Cumberland News Register as a public service. Anyone can read his articles and his hope is the Creator will speak to your hearts and bring you to the true knowledge of His Plan of Salvation.
He was awarded numerous certificates and awards including accepting Christ and becoming an ordained Minister on May 15, 1982, Member of Clergy, Reverend of Bethel Ministries of Fayetteville, Certificate of Appreciation from North Carolina Governor James Hunt 1 April 1994, Certificate of Appreciation from North Carolina Governor James Martin 1 April 1992, Lay Speaker’s Certificate from the United Methodist Church 1990, Member of Cape Fear Community Food Bank of Fayetteville, NC 10 April 1989.
Willie was preceeded in death by his grandson, Willie Crafton Tart; great-grandson, Alexander Hubbard; brother, Carl Jones; and sisters, Garnett Brinson and Wanza Marie Parker; and brother, Odelle Jones.
He is survived by his daughter, Delores Jones Gill and husband Anderson of Fayetteville; sons, Chet Diamond and wife Elana of Charlotte and W.C. Groves of Lake Waccamaw; grandchildren, Candie Medlin, Tonya Mutts and wife Mary, Farrell Howard and wife Katherine, Vernon Groves, Misty Graham and husband Emanuel; great-grandchildren, John Wesley Medlin, Kimberleigh Medlin, Damian Davis, Nathanial Hubbard, D’Angelo Howard, Elijah Howard, Shaylene Jacobs, Cheyanne Jacobs; great-great grandchild, Alexander Cook; sisters, Alease Brewington and husband Quincy of Dunn, Genevie Maynor of Fayetteville, Joan Holland and husband Larry of Hope Mills, and Patricia Maynor of Dunn; brothers, Curley Jones and wife Peggy of Dunn, Phil Jones and wife Debbie of Charlotte; and granddog, Milo.
A memorial service officiated by Rev. James C. Davis will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Sullivan’s Highland Funeral service on Saturday, October 17, 2015. A private burial will be conducted at a date to be determined in Antioch Freewill Holiness Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to Delores Gill.
Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service & Crematory, Inc.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rev. Willie Crafton Jones, please visit our flower store.
Past Services
Memorial Service
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Hay Street United Methodist Church
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