[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 45 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S2040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REMEMBERING W.R. ``WILLIE'' JONES

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. W.R. 
``Willie'' Jones, who passed away on Friday, March 25, 2011. Willie was 
dedicated to providing hope for a better life for underprivileged 
children in Montgomery, AL, and he was a personal friend. Along with 
the children and families whose lives Willie helped to change, I mourn 
his passing.
  Willie Jones was born on April 3, 1955, and was an alumnus of Alabama 
State University. He began his life of dedication to the YMCA by 
participating in the organization's programs as a youth. Starting in 
1968, he worked part time as an aquatic instructor at the Cleveland 
Avenue YMCA in Montgomery, where he would later become the executive 
director. His involvement didn't stop there; Willie also served as a 
senior vice president of the Montgomery YMCA. He held famous father/son 
banquets that attracted top sports talent to the Cleveland Avenue YMCA 
and provided inspiration for young boys and their fathers.
  I have always recognized the Cleveland Avenue YMCA as an important 
place for the advancement of underprivileged youth. The facility opened 
in 1960 in conjunction with Martin Luther King's efforts to obtain 
equal opportunities for all people, including children. Willie and I 
worked together to fund and open the Cleveland Avenue Cultural Arts and 
Education Center, CAEC, in 2000. The CAEC is the largest YMCA facility 
in the country that is entirely dedicated to the arts. It is a true 
testament to Willie's commitment to helping America's youth through 
creative and educational initiatives.
  In addition to his work for the YMCA, Willie served as the chairman 
of the Montgomery County Community Punishment and Corrections Authority 
and advocated for prison alternatives for nonviolent offenders, another 
passion of his. He also served on the Montgomery Housing Authority 
board of directors and the Montgomery County Recreation Commission.
  Willie's advocacy extended beyond the boardroom and into city and 
county meetings, which he regularly attended. He was often spotted 
around the community networking with nearly everyone he met. Willie was 
a great friend to me and to all people, young and old. His selfless 
life's mantra was, ``This isn't about Willie Jones, it's about the kids 
at the YMCA.'' I am honored to have assisted with obtaining Federal 
funding for the Cleveland Avenue YMCA and to have known this man who 
was so committed to his community and to the greater world around him.
  Willie is loved and will be missed by his wife Versie and two 
children, Jeff and Jennifer. My thoughts and prayers are with them as 
they struggle with Willie's premature and unexpected death. A tireless 
advocate for underprivileged children and nonviolent offenders, Willie 
championed the notion of a ``second chance'' for kids throughout the 
community and will be fondly remembered for the legacy of service he 
left behind him.

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