On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, God called Melvin Howard Jones home for his final rest. He was 86 years old. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, coach, and friend.
Early Life
Melvin, affectionately known as Mel or Coach Jones, was born to Mr. James E. Jones, Sr., and Gertrude Spratley Jones on June 30, 1938. He was born and raised on a sharecropper farm in Smithfield, Virginia. Mel was the fourth of seven children (five boys and two girls). The family attended First Gravel Hill Baptist Church in Smithfield, VA, where Mel first gave his life to Jesus Christ. He and his siblings walked to church every Sunday.
High School
Two of his brothers (Thomas and Horace) were crucial to his athletic development as they were always competitive. They even played on the same baseball team for a few years. Melvin was multi-talented and even sang with his older brother James in a quartet. A consummate Renaissance man, Mel could cut hair, fix cars, build houses, lay bricks, pour concrete, and much more.
In high school, Jones earned 11 letters—four in baseball, four in track, and three in football. He was selected All-State in football at division AA. He was also the fastest track runner in high school and an all-around athlete.
Norfolk State University
After high school, Mel attended Norfolk State University as a walk-on. He was the #1 sprinter on the track team and a running back on the football team. At the end of his first year on the football team, his coaches attended an all-conference meeting in Georgia. When they returned, they called him into the office and told him he was chosen as the #1 running back in the conference, the first freshman in the history of Norfolk State College. Once he became an all-conference running back, other schools tried to recruit him, so Norfolk State quickly gave him his scholarship. From 1958-1961, he was a four-time All-Conference sprinter and a three-time All-Conference running back.
During his sophomore year, he had some competition as the fastest sprinter on the track team. He told the new guy, “I’m not going to let you beat me, I’m going to make you beat me”. They became a one-two punch for their team that year and won many track meets together. Before he received his scholarship, Mel obtained his barber’s license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He became the team’s barber and funded his first year at Norfolk State. He lived off-campus in a rooming house until he worked his way into a full scholarship. His outstanding performances in football and track and field earned him eight athletic letters. He was selected three times as an all-conference running back in football and three times as an all-conference sprinter in track and field.
U.S. Army
In 1962, the Chicago Bears invited Mel to attend their minicamp. However, after only a few weeks, he was drafted into the Army and served as a military policeman. He went to MP school in Fort Gordon, Georgia, where he learned karate, judo, and hand-to-hand combat. Out of 250 prospects, only 98 went on to become military police. He was one of only two African Americans to receive top clearance for this role. He was recruited to play football in the Army and was exposed to more racism during that time than ever before. He became frustrated, but God revealed to him that this was his cup to bear. After about two to three weeks, the Army had their first game, and they were losing during the first half. During the third quarter, they were forced to give him the ball and he ran for 150 yards and scored three touchdowns. They won the game, and Mel made the All-Army team.
He was the only African American on the Army Baseball team and started the Army track team, where he was the only member for the first year. He also got his first coaching experience with the Army basketball team. During his two years in the Army, he coached and played four sports.
He was stationed in Fort Ritchie, MD, for 18 months and was MP of the month for 12 of those months. When his first tour was coming to an end, the Post Commander called him into the office and tried to convince him to become a career soldier. However, Mel declined as he said his heart was not in it. He received an honorable discharge in 1964.
Life After Army
After leaving the Army, Mel came to Portsmouth, Virginia, where he worked at the Norfolk Navy Shipyard for eight years. During his last two years at the shipyard, Mel attended night school at Norfolk State University to complete his degree in Industrial Arts Education.
In 1965, Mel joined a team in the Continental Football League called the Norfolk Neptunes. When he ran the 40-yard dash during try-outs, his recorded time was 4.17. He played for the Neptunes for one and a half years and won the MVP title each year.
In November 1967, Melvin had his only child, Adrienne Michelle Jones Starkey, from his first marriage.
Prolific Educator & Coach
In 1973, capitalizing on his military experience and academic degrees, Mel accepted a position as a teacher and coach at Lafayette High School in Williamsburg, VA where he taught for 46 years. In his first year as an assistant football coach, he helped the Rams improve from a record of 4-6 the previous year to a 12-1 record his first season there. During his tenure at Lafayette, he started as an assistant football coach and in 1985, he became the first African American head football coach in the history of Williamsburg/James City County. He coached football (assistant and head) for 17 years and remained the head track and field coach from 1974 until his retirement in 2018. In his role as Coach Jones, he had the opportunity to impart wisdom and life lessons to all the students who crossed his path in and out of his classroom, while making time to complete a master’s degree in education from Virginia State University and did further study at the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University.
Coach Jones had a long list of track and field championships. From 1973 until his second retirement in 2018, he guided the Lafayette Rams to 47 district, 20 regional, and five state championships. He was voted Coach of the Year in track and field many times by his peers. He was selected six times by the Peninsula District Coaches Association as Coach of the Year in boys and girls indoor/outdoor track. He also received Coach of the Year awards from the Peninsula Sports Club (1985), the VA High School Coaches Association (2004), and the Bay Rivers District (2009).
After retiring as a high school football coach, he started as the running backs coach for Virginia Union University and left to go to Hampton University in 1992 with the Virginia Union coaching staff. He coached at the college level for seven years, while remaining the head track coach at Lafayette.
Some of the most notable students that he mentored and coached are Ron Springs (NFL – Dallas Cowboys), Lawrence Taylor (NFL – New York Giants), Mel Gray (NFL – Houston/Tennessee Oilers and Detroit Lions), Seneca Lassiter (Nike Track and Field), Chris Luzar (NFL- Jacksonville Jaguars), and Terrance Martin (NFL – Houston Texans). In 1995, Coach Jones was selected as a finalist for the NFL High School Coach of the Year.
One of Mel Gray’s quotes about Coach Jones is paraphrased as follows: “One of the reasons I’ve been so successful is because of all the things he taught me regarding discipline and respect. He wanted everything to be perfect from our clothes to our hair, to how we conducted ourselves in public. I realize now that he cared about us. He was like a father to me.”
“My goal was to help students/athletes to be the best that they could be…to help them to go on in life being positive and productive citizens, making the world a better place for themselves, their families, and their communities”. ~ Coach Mel Jones.
Lafayette High School renamed its athletic building the Coach Mel Jones Athletic Training Center, and a scholarship was established in his honor through the Williamsburg-James City County Scholarship Fund by Peter Beldon, aimed at supporting African American students. The first award was given in 2021. It was and still is designated for someone who qualifies for financial aid, is in good academic standing, and is involved in an extracurricular activity such as a club, job, or sport.
By dedicating over four decades to mentoring young athletes in football and track and field, it is at Lafayette High School where Coach Jones was able to impact the lives of hundreds of students and leave an indelible legacy.
In recognition of his significant contributions to sports and the community, Jones was inducted into the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
He retired from teaching at Lafayette High School in 2008 but continued as the Director of Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field for both boys and girls until 2018.
Every summer, Coach Jones loved to work with the Williamsburg-James City County Community Action Agency’s Green Team Summer Youth Employment Program. For more than 20 years, he taught youth home repair and building skills. Coach Jones was a repository of positive energy and motivational talks. He was a builder of self-esteem but never missed an opportunity to tell you where and when you needed to improve. Coach Jones was all about respect, integrity, and accountability. He believed in old-school values and taught much more than sports. Coach Mel Jones spent decades transforming the minds, attitudes, and lives of generations of young people.
Throughout his career, Coach Jones was celebrated for his commitment to developing not only the athletic skills but also the character of his students, leaving a lasting legacy in the Williamsburg and Newport News communities.
Family is Everything
Mel loved his family with his whole heart. He, his sister Gladys, and his other siblings took care of their mother for many years until her death, bringing her food, taking her to her appointments, shopping, and whatever she needed. His mother was the first love of his life.
He spent many weekends at his sister Gladys’ house. She cooked meals for him and doted on him. He often took over the television from his nephews and niece so he could watch football games.
Mel met his wife Carolyn in 1991. They were introduced at a Virginia Union football game by a mutual friend. On their first date, Mel asked her to go with him to Farm Fresh to buy drinks and snacks for a track meet the next day. They got married two years later and remained happily so for 30 years. They attended yearly marriage retreats and actively participated in weekly church activities. They spent their time traveling, gardening/landscaping, eating at restaurants, working with a non-profit for the homeless, and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mel took immense pride in his yard and landscaped it to perfection, building a deck on the back of their house as well as a brick mailbox and grill.
Once fully retired, he traveled to see his grandson play college football at the University of Pennsylvania making it a full circle moment as he was a staple at the Penn Relays for many years.
Mel’s engaging personality was marked by a contagious sense of humor, an upbeat demeanor, and an unwavering commitment to his students’ success. For nine years, Mel served as a Deacon at Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Temple in Hampton, Virginia, where he offered spiritual guidance and leadership within his community. Additionally, he was actively involved with The Gideons International, contributing to the evangelistic efforts to spread his faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his community and throughout the world.
Mel leaves behind a legacy of mentorship and encouragement, as he was known for always having a quote to share—a testament to his wisdom and positive outlook on life. His commitment to education and his community will continue to inspire those whose lives he touched. If anyone asks if he lived his purpose and did God’s work throughout his life and career? The answer is, in his words, “Is buttermilk milk?”
In addition to his parents, Mel is preceded in death by his brothers, Charlie Jones and James Jones, Jr; and sister, Gladys Jones Hill.
He is survived by his loving wife of over 30 years, Mrs. Carolyn Gray Jones; daughter, Adrienne Starkey (Rory, Sr.); grandchildren, Rachel Alcocer (Jesus), Amaya Starkey, and Rory Starkey, Jr; brothers, Horace Jones (Jo Ann), and Thomas Jones (Beverly); sister, Virginia Morton; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family, former students, and friends.
A memorial Celebration of Life service will be held at noon on Monday, February 17, 2025, at Lafayette High School.
