Members of Eastern’s community can celebrate the life of Johnetta Jones, 56, director of the Minority Affairs Office, who worked on campus for 26 years prior to her death Saturday.

A memorial program will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in the University Grand Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Cynthia Nichols, director of the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity, said students and staff are welcome to attend the program, which will consist of speakers, musical performances and a multimedia retrospective of

Jones’ time at Eastern.

“Six speakers, including Board of Trustees Chairperson Nate Anderson, university leaders, students, faculty members and other colleagues will share reflections,” Nichols said.

Since the usual student weekend bus leaves before the program is scheduled to begin, an additional bus to Chicago has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to transfer student attendees. Seating is limited and interested riders should contact Kathy Cartwright at 581-2819 for more information.

Attending students can store their luggage in a secure room during the program, Nichols said.

Priscilla Winninger and other members of Minority Affairs are creating a memory book which will be sent to the Jones family. Nichols said a copy will be retained on campus as well.

“Throughout the rest of October, everyone is invited to forward statements with their remembrances and feelings about Johnetta which will be included in the book,” Nichols said.

Information about a memorial scholarship fund will be announced by The Foundation Office, Nichols said. Director of Development Karla Evans can be contacted at 581-3315 for information about contributions.

Jones was born March 11, 1947, and died Saturday of a severe infection worsened by the ingestion of E. coli.

She is survived by her mother, Jennie Young Jones; two brothers, Harry and William D. (his wife, Sherry); sister-in-law, Debra Johnson-Jones; an aunt, Bessie E. Young; nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, John E. Jones, and brother, Gerald L. Jones.

Services performed in her hometown are scheduled Saturday at New Zion Baptist Church, 803 Robert A. Stalls Avenue in Carbondale, Johnson-Jones said.

Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the funeral services will begin at 1 p.m.

Anyone is invited to attend.

“We were like real sisters, not just sisters-in-law,” Johnson-Jones said. “She loved education and she loved the students.”

City Editor Carly Mullady can be reached at [email protected].

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