Patricia Groves Jones

Pat Jones was born in Hutchinson County, Texas on March 16, 1928. Her parents were Fred and Zoda (Stanfield) Groves. The family later moved to Lubbock, Texas where Pat went to school at Lubbock High School. Due to her good grades, she skipped a grade and graduated from high school at age 17.

Pat then enrolled in Texas Tech in the Engineering Department where she was the second woman to graduate with an engineering degree. While at Tech, she met James Paul Jones and when she was 18 they eloped and were secretly married. Pat and Paul moved to Kress, Texas in 1951 after they both completed their college degrees. By that time they had two sons.

Kress was to be their home for the next 23 years. Pat started teaching in 1964 when Tulia High School needed a teacher to finish out the spring semester after the students had run-off two math teachers. Then one of the Kress School Board members asked Pat to teach algebra and chemistry. She taught in the Kress school system until moving to College Station, Texas in 1974. Both of Pat’s brothers had PhDs and she felt slighted; so, in 1968 she enrolled in William and Mary and got a Master in Mathematics.

Pat spent another 15 years teaching at A & M Consolidated in College Station. Her youngest surviving son, Stanley, was afflicted with cerebral palsy from birth, so she became active with the Mental Health Mental Retardation Department in Brazos County and was a board member for many years.

In 1960, Paul started taking flying lessons as they were going to Wichita, Kansas 4 to 6 times a year to visit Stanley at the Institute of Logopedics. Pat decided she needed to get her pilot’s license in case something happened to Paul while they were flying. She soloed after only 6 hours of instruction and was a pilot for about 15 years.

Pat is survived by two sons, Brac Jones and Patsy of Navasota, Texas and Stanley Jones of Bryan, Texas. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Wendy Albright of Montgomery, Texas, Brice Jones and Stephanie of College Station, Texas, and Brandon Jones and Amelia of Anderson, Texas. Five great-grandchildren also survive her, Brayden, Aubrey, Hudson, Elliott and Declan.

Visitation will be held at Bartley Funeral Home in Plainview, Texas on Friday, July 8 from 6 pm until 8 pm. Graveside services will be at 10 am, Saturday, July 9 at the Kress Cemetery in Kress, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that donations be made in Pat’s name to Still Creek Ranch, 6055 Hearne Road, Bryan, TX 77808 or to Voices for Children, 115 N. Main St, Bryan, TX 77803.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialfuneralchapel.com for the Jones family.