Wayne Joel Jones was born on October 14, 1942, in Washington, DC, to the late Allen O. and Catherine L. Wright Jones. He transitioned to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 1, 2022.
On June 6, 1982, Wayne married Laverne O. Doggett. From their union, one beautiful daughter was born, Kimberly Elizabeth Jones.
During the early years of his life, Wayne attended East Calvary United Methodist Church, which later became Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Washington, DC. In 2019, he confirmed his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Wayne was educated in the District of Columbia Public Schools. Based on his top math scores in Washington, DC, he was allowed to attend McKinley Technical High School. Upon graduation in 1960, he attended Howard University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1966. Subsequently, he received a Master of Business Administration in Business Management from the University of Houston in Texas in 1980.
Throughout high school, he was a dedicated member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). He continued participation in ROTC at Howard University. After graduation from college, he was commissioned as an engineering officer in the Army Reserves. In 1966, he was activated and served one tour of combat in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, earning a National Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Campaign Medal. Wayne remained in the U.S. Army Reserves and was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1973.
Upon returning home from Vietnam in 1968, he resumed his career as an electrical engineer, working in various companies including Westinghouse [Maryland], General Electric [Pennsylvania], Gulf Oil [Texas] which later became Chevron [Georgia]. After his retirement from Chevron, he accepted a chief engineering position with the Maryland State Government, Mass Transit Administration where he remained until 2012.
Wayne was always serious minded (even as a child), dedicated to his family and his work, and purposefully progressing to the next level in life. Growing up, Wayne delivered newspapers with his red wagon throughout the neighborhood and the DC Jail. He was a Boy Scout who reached the level of an Eagle Scout that provided him the exciting opportunity to attend the National Scout Jamboree. As an adult, he loved dining out at the best restaurants, traveling to various countries throughout the world, and examining the stock market to keep updated on his investments.
Wayne leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Laverne; daughter, Kimberly; two sisters, Judy Jones Carter and Sharon Jones; his best friend for 67 years, Johnie McCoy, and Johnie’s wife, Chandra; and a host of other relatives.