C.V. (Red) Jones, born in Baird, Texas, to the late Clifford and Christine Jones, passed away on March 10, 2024, at the age of 92.
Red started in radio after graduating high school and worked nights while attending classes at the University of Texas. While in the Army stationed in Germany, he worked with the Armed Forces Radio Network with a signal of 150,000 watts; he received mail from all over Europe. Upon discharge, he joined one of the top stations in America at the time, KILT in Houston, Texas, where he won many national awards, including Top Radio Personality and Top Program Manager. Red came to Georgia and joined another top station in the country, WQXI, in Atlanta. As an air personality and program manager, he won national awards. Red was instrumental in forming the first radio network for the Atlanta Falcons and helped put on the air one of the first FM stations in Atlanta, WKXI. His career continued at WFOM Marietta, WJEM Valdosta, and WLAG LaGrange before coming to Carrollton in 1985 with WBTR as General Manager and air personality. Inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in 2008 along with all three Atlanta Braves announcers, Skip Carey, Ernie Johnson, and Pete Van Wieren, Red finally retired in 2011. He wrapped up a 63-year career in radio at WKNG Tallapoosa/Carrollton, saying it was the best ten years he had spent in the business in an area of the country he would never leave. In 2015, he started voice tracking for an online radio station with the idea that “there is a little ham in all of us.”
A longtime member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Red served as Sunday School class assembly Director and president of the Ted Robinson Sunday School class. He was also a proud member of the Carrollton Golden K Kiwanis Club.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Betty Collins Jones, and his wife of four years, Betty McGuire Jones. He is survived by his children Clif (Patti) Jones, Karyn Jones, Camilla Ellenburg, Dean (Patti)Reeves, and Russell (Sheila) Reeves, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be at Tabernacle Baptist Church on March 21, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., and a Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.martin-hightower.com. Martin & Hightower Heritage Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
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