Paul Lawrence Jones Jr. was born at home between Merrifield and Falls Church, Virginia, on July 21, 1938, to Paul Lawrence Jones Sr. and Ethel French Jones. He lived in a home with his two brothers, John Emory and William Edward Jones, his grandmother Bessie French Brown, his great aunt Frances French Harris, and her husband Edward Harris. It was a loving, supportive multilevel family structure. The family was a member of the Galloway Methodist Church. Paul enjoyed singing in the Junior Choir, Sunday school, going on church-sponsored bus trips, and attending Sunday services. In later years, he joined his wife and children and was confirmed at the Church of the Ascension and St. Agnes under Father Frederic Meisel.
Paul started elementary school in 1944, attending a one-room school and later a two-room school in Merrifield, Virginia, with students from the “Pines”, “East Woodford”, Hyson’s Lane, Tremont, and Shreve’s Road (Gravel Bank). These places have other names now, but during this time, these names were places where black families clustered because of the rule of segregation in housing and schools in Fairfax County, Virginia. His parents transferred him to the Falls Church Elementary, where he developed many new relationships. James Lee Elementary School was newly built as he entered the fifth grade, and he was reunited with all the students who came from the closed Merrifield Elementary School.
Paul graduated from the seventh grade at James Lee Elementary during the 1949-1950 school year. His education was finished in Fairfax County. However, some of his fellow students found other ways to attend high school in Arlington, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. Each school day, Paul was bused, along with other students, to Manassas Regional High, located in Prince William County, Virginia. He remained at this school through the ninth and tenth grades. In 1954, he attended the newly built Luther Jackson High School located in Merrifield, Virginia. Paul had three wonderful years at Luther Jackson High School studying and learning, playing football, and enjoying the social life with black students from all over Fairfax County. There were 48 students in his graduating class in 1957. He applied and was accepted to Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. With the encouragement and support from his family and friends, he graduated from Saint Paul’s College in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. Paul was the first college graduate in his family. While at Saint Paul’s, he became a member of the first black college fraternity in America, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. After college, Paul became a free and accepted member of the Prince Hall Masons by joining Fellowship Lodge 26 in Washington, DC. These achievements were very special to his family and community.
Soon after graduating from Saint Paul’s, he married his college sweetheart, Teola Thomas from Emporia, Virginia. Soon thereafter, Paul joined the United States Army. When he was sent to Germany for a tour of duty, Paul and Teola spent almost two years staying with a German family. They found the experiences in Europe very exciting. Paul was discharged from the Army in October of 1964 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with the rank of Specialist Fifth Class. Paul and Teola returned to Falls Church, Virginia, to begin their careers.
Paul enjoyed science because several high school science teachers inspired him. After working at Klein’s Department Store, his first teaching job was at Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC, in 1965. He taught general science and chemistry for five years and completed his Master of Arts in Teaching at Howard University in Washington, DC. Before he left Roosevelt in 1971, Paul was named Teacher of the Year by his peers and students. He also worked at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. As an Employment Development Specialist, he helped high school and college students succeed in various job assignments at the Center. Also, in March 1971, Paul and Teola were blessed with their first child, Courtney Lynn Jones. Afterwards, Paul completed graduate studies at the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Oxford University in England.
In May 1971, Paul accepted a position at Falls Church High School teaching biology. At FCHS, he moved from teaching to a school administration position. In August 1973, their second child, David Lawrence Jones, was born. Shortly after, he was selected for his first assistant principal position at Herndon High School. Paul remained in this position until 1986. Before leaving, he was nominated by the staff and received the Super Boss of the Year award from Fairfax County Public Schools. Later, he was transferred to McLean High School as an assistant principal. Paul retired from Fairfax County Public Schools at McLean High School in 1998. However, he continued to work for FCPS after retirement. He was the interim principal at Holmes and Luther Jackson Middle Schools, sub-school principal at Robinson Secondary and Centreville High School, assistant principal at Cooper, Hughes, Herndon, Lanier Middle Schools, and Madison High School.
Additionally, Paul enjoyed traveling around the world with his wife. He particularly loved the cruises and travels to Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, South Africa, South America, England, France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, India, Israel, countries in the Middle East, Singapore, and Thailand.
Paul had the extreme joy of seeing his children grow up. He also had the absolute pleasure and joy of being a part of his grandchildren, Tyrone III, Kendall, and Adrienne’s lives and seeing them grow to adulthood. These memorable times would not have been possible without the rock-steady support of his wife, Teola, and her commitment to our marriage throughout these many years.
Quote from Paul – “My life was a good ride. Y’all take care now, think about me once in a while, and smile because I will be enjoying myself with all my family and friends on the other side.”
Paul is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Teola, his two children, Courtney Lynn Baines (Tyrone II) and David Lawrence Jones, and three grandchildren (Tyrone III, Kendall, and Adrienne). He is also survived by two sister-in-laws (Flora Richardson and Ernestine Smartt), and a host of loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and so many wonderful friends, fraternity brothers, classmates, colleagues, and neighbors.