Ted Murray Jones
Ted Murray “Raggedy Man” Jones, 62, of Humboldt, Tenn., passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.
He was born on January 5, 1960, at Fort Eustis, Virginia Military Hospital.
Mr. Jones graduated high school in 1978 with honors from Old Hickory Academy (Jackson, Tenn.) where he played basketball, was voted Most Talented, Class Favorite/Mr. OHA and was involved in many creative endeavors. He went on to study at the University of Dallas but proudly graduated from Belmont University with a degree in Music and Theology in 1999.
Mr. Jones was a songwriter, poet and Americana artist with several albums (via Dream Train Music and RM Music) to his credit. Creating music with his friends was his passion and he wrote “Strawberry Festival Parade” for his hometown of Humboldt. His music and love for adventure took him to many places, including Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, California, Arizona, Australia, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, and New York City – where he shared local cotton bolls with the city folks there.
He also hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. A friend that met Ted at an International Study of Dreams conference was quoted as saying “Ted is a philanthropist whose gift to the world is fresh, clever, sublime interpretation of the joy, hope, pain and sorrow of life that each of us is familiar with.”
Mr. Jones was baptized as a believer in Jesus Christ and was a quietly generous soul.
He is survived by his father, Winfred F. (Ted) Jones Jr. and stepmother, Cathey; and mother, Judy Murray Bowers; brother, Robert Clayton Jones (Shelby); sister, Julie Jones Tunnell (Brad); three nephews, Scott Tunnell, Fort Jones and Mason Jones; four nieces, Mary Julia Tunnell Craft (Hudson), Millie Tunnell, Josie Tunnell and Bailey Tunnell; and one great-niece, Elianna Craft; as well as his Aunt Rena Jones Johnson; and loving cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Mildred Warlick and Winfred F. (Ted) Jones Sr., and Virginia Curley and Robert Mason Murray; and stepfather, Richard Jack Bowers.
Mr. Jones also loved and was loved by many lifelong friends and was especially devoted to his two yorkies, Lil Bit and Darling.
The family received friends at Faith Community Church in Humboldt on Monday, June 27 at 1:30 p.m. Services followed at 3 p.m. with burial in Antioch Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000-Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148 or online at www.stjude.org,
The Boys & Girls Clubs of NWTN, 1503 Osborne Street, Humboldt, TN 38343 or online at www.myboysgirls.club,
Humboldt Public Library 115 S. 16th Ave., Humboldt, TN 38343 or online at www.humboldtpublic.org, or
West Tennessee Art Center, 1200 E. Main Street, Humboldt, TN or online at www.wtrac.tn.org.
Arrington Funeral Directors, Jackson, Tenn. were in charge of arrangements.