Louise Rice Jones

High Shoals, Georgia - Louise Rice Jones, 100, died November 19, 2011 at Family Life Enrichment Center.
She was born to Katie Mae Huff Rice and John Major Rice on November 11, 1911 in Forsyth County near Cumming, GA. She was the oldest of five children born to this union. Lake Lanier now covers the ancestral home.
Louise entered first grade at a one teacher school, Silver Shoals. She next studied at Bethany Elementary near Madison, GA in Morgan County.
The family moved to Ft. Valley in Peach County and Louise continued her education there until she graduated from Ft. Valley High School as valedictorian of her class in 1928. Louise was on the debating team and the team won state in her senior year.
Off to college Louise went. She attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville for two years, and in 1930 she received her normal diploma. Now she was a teacher and she taught her first year at Waresboro Elementary out from Waycross, GA. Her family remembers her telling about life in the country around Waycross at this time. Here you could see livestock roaming freely while the crops were fenced in.
She moved from Waycross to Marshallville, GA and taught there. Shortly thereafter, she went to Griffin, GA and continued her profession. While in Griffin, she got a job broadcasting on the local radio station. During this period of time, Louise felt the desire to go into religious work. She left the classroom and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX. There she received her Master's in Religious Education.
Life changed when she became Educational Director of the First Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA. While in Gainesville, she met the Rev. Tommie Jones, the Superintendent of Camp Pinnacle (the Women's Missionary Camp of Georgia Baptist). Tommie was in charge of a massive building construction job while there.
Louise Rice and Tommie Jones were married on February 14, 1952 on her parent's wedding anniversary. In 1952, Rev. Tommie Jones and his new wife, Louise were called to the Baptist church in Plains, GA. Jimmy Carter was a member of this church. When Jimmy Carter became President, he and his wife invited Louise and Tommie to visit them at the White House.
Between 1959 and 1963, Tommie served as pastor of the Winterville Baptist Church in Winterville, GA. During these years, Louise taught in Alps Road Elementary, Oconee Street School and Clarke Junior High School.
In November 1964, Tommie answered the call to the Radium Springs Baptist Church near Albany, GA. Louise taught in the Radium Springs Elementary School until December, 1968. Loganville was their next home where Tommie was the minister and Louise was in the public school.
In February 1970, Tommie became pastor of the Corinth Baptist Church and Louise returned to the Clarke County Schools. From February 1970 until June 1980, she instructed at the Hilsman Middle School. She retired from teaching in June 1980. During his 20 odd years as pastor at Corinth Baptist Church, Tommie decided to enter the teaching profession and taught for a number of years in the Clarke County School District.
In 1961 while living in Winterville, Louise joined the Pilot Club and was a very active member over the years. In 1985-1986, she served as president of this organization. Tommie and Louise were active members of the Athens Area Retired Educators Association. Louise had the honor of being president of this group after her retirement.
Louise is survived by her sisters, Mary Rice Cleveland of Gainesville, Sue Rice Harris of Athens and Kathryn Rice Dreher of Mystic, CT; 9 nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Tommie Lee Jones and her only brother, Major B. Rice, Sr.
Graveside services will be Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM at Evergreen Memorial Park with Rev. T. Richard Davis officiating.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Research.
Lord and Stephens, WEST is in charge of arrangements.