William Jones

William Lee Jones, more fondly known as "Uncle Bill," was born March 18, 1966, in Mt. Holly, AR, to the late Lee Jones and Celestine Stephens Jones.

At the age of seven, William joined and was baptized at Sweet Canaan Baptist Church in Smackover, AR by Rev. Cleo Gatson. Throughout his teenage years, he was able to display his athletic ability, by competing on the track and field team, along with being an active basketball player. He started dabbling in the art of boxing but then began to develop a love for music and after he walked across the stage to receive his diploma in 1984 at El Dorado High School (with his immense smile, of course), he and his brother, Jerry, took a shot at pursuing a music career - Jerry did the singing, while William did the rapping!

Soon afterward, he became intrigued with cars, whether building them to race or just adding his own touch to them. He also gained an interest in mentoring children, by ways of actively coaching at the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club. As a competitive coach, his teams either came out on top or were close to doing so. He was committed to giving his all to the children and pushing them to be honorable, respectful, and successful young men, whether on the field/court, in the classrooms, or in life. All his children, nieces, and nephews loved hanging around "Uncle Bill", but they ALL knew that if his smile ever left, then that meant the belt was usually coming out! While coaching, he was also competing as a mid-weight category bodybuilder, in which he won several trophies and plaques.

He sought employment after graduating and landed a job at Georgia Pacific, where he worked his way up to being a supervisor and remained there until they shut down in 2006. The shutdown then led him to, Amercable as a supervisor, for a total of seven years. He left and obtained his CDLs, also making sure to get his hazmat and tanker endorsements. He drove cross country for two years and then landed a local route at Clean Harbors, where he remained until his health declined too much for him to continue to work.

Although he was diagnosed with Pulmonary Lung Hypertension and Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2017, it did not stop him from being optimistic and having more good days than bad. He often joked about living to be 110 years old and "still looking good", doing so! Initially, he questioned "Why me", but then God responded, "Why not you"? He used that as his confirmation to become an advocate to others and provide motivation by ways of his social media platforms, his active relationship with God, and his love for seeing others excel and have positive outlooks on life! When his physicians only gave him a few months to live, God intervened and said, "Watch Me Work"! Even though his illness slowed him down, it never stopped him, and he never gave up!

He fought a hard and powerful uphill battle until March 24, 2025, when the Lord told him - "Well done, my good and faithful servant". He was preceded in death, yet united again, by his grandparents, Otis and Mattie Pearl Stephens, Scipio Jones, and Reder Mae McFadden; father, Lee Jones, niece Shirley Smith, and special nephew, Jaylyn McMurrian.

He leaves his cherished memories to his two daughters: Asiaa Jones and Harriett Burrell, both of El Dorado, AR; three sons: Xavier Jones, of Smackover, AR; Tavaris Williams of Bryant Road, MD; Marcus Hegler(Staci) of Tulsa, OK; lifelong family friend/best friend Scherlyn "Sha" Burrell, of El Dorado, AR; dearest mother, Celestine Wade of El Dorado, AR; two brothers: Jerry (Lora) Jones of El Dorado, AR and Leslie(Shelia) Jones of Melbourne, FL; three sisters: Celes (Victor) Furlow of El Dorado, AR; Barbara Ann Jones-Sheppard of San Pablo, CA and Tiffany Jones Smith of Milwaukee, WI; a special aunt, Norma Stephens of El Dorado, AR, a special uncle, Willie Stephens of Acworth, GA, Stepmom, Bessie Jones of Rockwall, Texas; 13 grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who all loved him dearly and will miss his beautiful smile!