Dr. Donald Palm, assistant vice president of academic affairs, welcomed community members, faculty and students to celebrate the life and legacy of Denise Claudette Jones at a memorial service held at 11 a.m. in the Foster-Tanner Music Building at Florida A&M Tuesday, March 31.
Jones, an Administrative Assistant to the Registrar’s office, died at the age of 57 on March 24.
Derrick Bevans, degree audit advisor at FAMU, read Jones’ favorite scripture Isaiah 53:1-5.
Michael James, the former supervisor of Jones at FAMU, said it was an honor to have the opportunity to speak regarding her life.
“I want to thank and commend the Registrar’s office at Florida A&M University for putting together a very nice memorial service for her. She was an outstanding employee and was eventually promoted to the Assistant to the Registrar. She was professional, courteous, loyal, firm and organized,” James said.
Jones career began in the newspaper business at News Day, a daily newspaper in metro New York. She worked for The Gannet News as a supervisor of classified advertisements over 10 years before coming to Tallahassee in 2000.
Brandi Gallon, a FAMU alumna and former student assistant in the Registrar’s office, said she worked in the Registrar’s office a long time after she graduated.
“Ms. Jones was like my work mother and all the other employees were like aunts and some even sisters. I grew up in the Registrar’s office and I learned a lot,” Gallon said.
The memorial service ended with a closing prayer by Minister Antonio Witherspoon.
Sharon Grant, Jones’ sister, said Jones was a loving person and dynamic.
“She was always lovable and sang in church. She always wanted to help people and wanted to be an Occupational Therapist. We did a duet together and she sang better than I did,” Grant said.
A memorial service will be held for Jones at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church on 615 Tuskegee St., Tallahassee, FL at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.