Rev. Shirland Stephen “Steve” Jones, 80, was born on May 3, 1943, to the late Dr. English E. Jones and Mrs. Margaret Sheppard Jones. He departed this life peacefully on Monday, November 13, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his loving family.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Calvary Way Baptist Church with Pastor Jason Chandler, Revs. Mike Cummings and Charles Locklear officiating. Burial will follow in the Jones Family Cemetery.
He is survived by his two sons: Mr. Sean and Mr. Shay; six grandchildren: Daniel, Sara, Aaron, Ian, Shayla and Ella; and five great-grandchildren: Anthony, Nicholas, Olivia, Princeton and Gianna; his sister: Ms. Judy Revels; his brother: Mr. Randall Jones; countless family and friends including the mother of his two sons: Ms. Dolores Jones; his special cousin: Mr. Richard “Buck” Sheppard; and his close friendsMr. Willie Collins and Mr. Jimmy R. Locklear.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Calvary Way Baptist Church.
His education included attending Hopewell, Union and Pembroke Elementary Schools; graduating Pembroke High School (1961); Pembroke State College, B.S. Science (1964); and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity (1984).
He began his career in the classroom as a high school biology teacher in 1964 before being called to the ministry in 1976. After spending most of his adult life known as “Preacher Steve,” he later returned to the classroom to finish his teaching career. Over the course of his life, he taught 20 years in NC Public Schools and served as a Southern Baptist minister for over 20 years, including fulltime pastor at Harper’s Ferry Baptist Church and the founding pastor at Calvary Way Baptist Church in Pembroke, NC. More recently, he was also a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Laurinburg, NC. Dedicated to a life of community service, he was a Pembroke Jaycee President and active member of the Baptist State Convention. When he wasn’t teaching, preaching, or spending time with his family, he could usually be found on the golf course…sharing his testimony.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Rev. Steve Jones to the Dr. English E. Jones Scholarship at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke online at www.uncp.edu/give. When making your gift online please select the designation of “Other”, check “Tribute Gift”, and type “Dr. English E. Jones Scholarship” in the comment section. You can make a gift by mail, made payable to “UNCP Foundation” and Dr. English E. Jones Scholarship” listed in the memo. Mail to: UNCP Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372.
