Local services will be held for Alabama prep football standout with Beaufort ties who died Monday
Beaufort native Julian Jones, a prep football standout in Alabama who died Monday, will be remembered Sunday during a service on St. Helena Island.
The 16-year-old Jones lived in Hazel Green, Ala., where he played defensive end and tight and at Hazel Green High School and had scholarship offers from South Carolina, Mississippi State, Middle Tennessee State and Troy.
The Madison County coroner ruled Jones’ death a suicide, according to multiple Huntsville, Ala., media outlets. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville.
A private service will also be held Sunday at Penn Center’s Frissell Community House, said Wilbert Bryant, Jones’ uncle. A burial will follow in the Baha’i Cemetery on St. Helena.
Before moving to Alabama, Jones attended St. Helena Elementary.
Jones’ mother, Victoria Smalls, is director of history, art and culture at Penn Center. His father, Anthony Jones, was head football coach at Alabama A&M and played tight end for the NFL’s Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.
Bryant said Jones was in Beaufort this summer and that they talked about his football recruitment. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound junior was ranked the 17th-best recruit in the state by 247sports.com. Bryant said Jones tore his ACL early this season but was doing well.
He said his nephew also played basketball and made perfect grades.
“He was very family oriented,” Bryant said. “He was just a great kid — personality-wise, outstanding — a very personable young man. Always ‘yes, ma’am, no ma’am.’ Just a great kid.”
Hazel Green High School held a candlelight vigil for Jones on Tuesday, according to local media reports. Hazel Green football coach Matt Putnam posted to his Twitter account that the team continued to practice as it prepared for a Thursday game.
“The entire Trojan Family is devastated by the loss of Julian,” Putnam posted. “Our love, thoughts & prayers go out to his entire family. He will be missed.”
Local funeral arrangements for family and friends of Julian Jones:
A private memorial service for Julian Jones will be held Sunday at Penn Center’s Frissell Hall; 16 Penn Center Circle W; St. Helena Island. A burial will follow in Baha’i Cemetery, 391 Ball Park Rd.; St. Helena Island. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking cards or monetary gifts be mailed to Victoria Smalls, P.O. Box 429, St. Helena Island, S.C. 29920 or Lynn Bryant, P.O. Box 1295, St. Helena Island, S.C. 29920.
This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Local services will be held for Alabama prep football standout with Beaufort ties who died Monday."