Madison County board member Clint Jones is remembered by his colleagues as a dedicated friend who spent his short time on the Madison County Board helping others and representing his district well.
Jones, 44, of Maryville, passed away unexpectedly Friday morning at Anderson Hospital, which appeared to be cardiac-related.
Visitation will be July 8 from 3-8 p.m. at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Maryville. Funeral services are scheduled for July 9 at 10 a.m. at Fireman’s Park.
Jones (R) represented District 27 in Madison County. He was elected to the board in 2016. He served as the chairman of the Facilities Management and Sewer Facilities committees. He was also a member of the Executive, Grants and Transportation committees.
He is survived by his wife Heather Muller Jones and their three children.
He is remembered fondly by fellow Madison County Board members:
“My deepest sympathy goes out to Clint’s young family,” said Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler. “It’s hard to imagine the shock and loss they are experiencing. Clint was called to public service and understand its importance. His experience with the Maryville street department prepared him well for the county board, and that was one reason he was the only county board member to chair two committees, the facilities and sewer committees. I could go into a lot of detail about Clint’s knowledge of county operations, but it would take too much time. Let me just say that not only do we miss Clint as a person, but we will miss his talents.”
“Clint was a true friend to all who knew him,” said Ray Wesley. “He was always helping someone, whether it was a resident in the village with a problem or a friend that needed a helping hand with a project or someone in politics needing help on a campaign. He never hesitated to ‘be there.’ I only knew him for a short time, but I had a tremendous amount of respect for him. His work ethic was second to none. He made sure he completed his responsibilities and you never had to worry about it being done right. We would talk for hours about how we can make Madison County a better place for everyone to live. He truly was a servant of the people. I learned a lot from Clint in my short time around him. As Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party, Clint had his finger on the pulse of the community and made sure the citizens’ concerns were always answered. Madison County lost a valuable member of the community. He will be missed greatly.”
“The sudden death of Clint Jones is a hard-to-swallow reality,” said Erica Harriss. “Clint was constantly helping others, and his absence is devastating not only to those who had the opportunity to know him, but will be felt throughout the community. He is a man who really earned everyone's respect, hard working without expectation of praise. I first met Clint just four years ago when we were both first-time electeds to the board. With districts next to one another, we were seat mates and spoke often. He was not only dedicated to his community, he adored his wife and was so incredibly proud of his kids. Last week he shared how he was playing a video game, practicing so he could beat his son. My heart hurts for his family and the huge loss they will forever carry with them.”
“Like a big brother, Clint took me under his wing as a new County Board member,” said Chrissy Dutton. “He helped me with all aspects of the job and I could always count on him for advice. Clint had a way of keeping things factual and he simplified matters, especially if I was looking at something too emotionally. And he certainly always found a way to make us laugh with his sarcastic sense of humor, which I will undoubtedly miss. Clint helped a considerable number of us with our campaigns, and he put in countless hours doing work for others like myself without us even asking him. He’d call me up and tell me he had some stuff made for me and he’d bring it by. He’d also always call and check in just to make sure everything was going ok. Clint motivated me and made me want to work harder and to never give up. If Clint was this good of a friend to so many of us, I can’t imagine the loss for his wife, kids and entire family. This is such a tough loss for numerous reasons and my heart and prayers will remain with Heather and all of Clint’s loved ones.”
“Clint was always a joy to be around,” said Liz Dalton. “We sat next to each other during our board meetings and when our meetings got rather lengthy he would always make a [comment] about ordering a snack or drink to get us through the meeting. He was very involved in our Grants committee meetings making sure we had all the facts and information when he served as chairman. He always listened to your opinion and if compromise was necessary to achieve a goal he would do that. He’ll be missed.”
“Clint’s passing is a tragic loss to his family and the community,” said Tom McRae. “He was a great husband, father and community leader. Clint brought incredible real life experience to the board and to the committees he served on. He will be sorely missed.”
“Clint was the real deal,” said Jamie Goggin. “I went to him often for his opinion. He always gave it freely, with insight and no B.S. His love of family, genuine friendship and service to community were an example for all.”
“I was fortunate to serve on two committees that were chaired by Clint,” said Chris Hankins. “He was a common sense guy that represented our county and his district very well. His leadership and knowledge will be missed. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Clint will be missed by all that were fortunate to have met him.”
“Clint Jones was a man that anyone could find some common ground with,” said Mike Parkinson. “He was a man of great pride and integrity and always stood for what he felt was right. Clint and I became friends right away even though we were not from the same political side of the fence when we were elected to the Madison County Board. I respected Clint and I will miss him. My heart goes out to his wife and children.”
“Clint was a great friend and a strong advocate not only for the citizens of his district but also the residents of Madison County,” said John Foster. “He will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers for his wife and family. RIP my friend.”
“I didn’t know Clint well,” said Bruce Malone, “but I served on two committees with him. Even though we were members of opposing parties, I appreciated his insights and contributions to the County Board.”
"Clint Jones was really a friend to everyone.," said Judy Kuhn. "It did not take long to realize his priorities were right, (his family meant everything to him). He was direct, kind and down to earth."
"My Sincere Condolences to the Clint Jones family," said Michael "Doc" Holliday Sr. "They are in our Prayers. May GOD continue to Bless them and give them comfort in their time of Bereavement."
“I was, and still am, absolutely shocked and saddened by this news,” stated David Michael in a Facebook post. “Clint and I joined the board at the same time and spent a lot of time together over lunches getting to know one another and building a great friendship. He made me laugh, taught me a lot about roads & piping, and introduced me to the sloppy joes at The Red Bar in Collinsville. My heartfelt prayers are with his wife, Heather, and their three children. Please join me in praying for them during this time. Perpetual light shine upon them.”