Lem T. Jones, Sr., long-time Kansas City business and civic leader, died Saturday at his home at 803 W. 54th Terrace.
Family members said that Mr. Jones, 79, was working at his office but went home early that afternoon to watch the University of Missouri-Illinois football game on television. He apparently suffered a heart attack while watching the game.Mr. Jones's interests and activities were varied. He was a college instructor, president and partner of Russell Stover Candies, Inc., a banker and served in many community organizations.
He married Jessie E. Stover, sister of Russell Stover, in 1921 and was an executive and partner of the candy company until his retirement in 1961. He also was an original stockholder and office of the Empire State Bank, where he served as a vice-president.
The Jones and Stover families were neighboring farmers in Iowa. The candy career started after Lem and Jessie married, when Jessie Jones began to make confections in her kitchen. The attempts proved so successful that they started the Mrs. Jones' Candy company.
In 1928 Lem and Jessie Jones joined her brother, Russell Stover, in Denver and they put their candy profits into Russell's larger venture. Mr. Jones became the business manager.
He was born in Ebensburg, Pa., and was graduated from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and then began teaching in rural elementary schools there. He was a Navy veteran of World war I and returned to Iowa after the war to resume teaching and head the state's Department of Commerce. He also taught in Cicero, Ill., where he was a college business instructor and the business manager of one of the country's largest high schools at that time.
Mr. Jones moved his family to Kansas City in 1929, where headquarters for the candy company were established a fort time later.
Mr. Jones's divergent interests are probably best shown through a biography on him in Who's Who in America. Under his Christian name of Lemuel Theophilus Jones a list follows of nearly 50 organizations in which he was active or helped to found.
Mr. Jones was active in the Missouri Republican state committee. He was elected chairman of the committee in 1963 and served as finance chairman in 1960.
But he did not restrict himself to just internal Republican party affairs. In 1962 he was the Republican candidate for presiding judge of the Jackson County court, but was defeated. In September 1960 he was suggested as a possible candidate for U.S. senator. Later that year, in April, he was mentioned as a possible candidate for governor.
Mr. Jones's political activities have been carried on by his son, Lem T. Jones, Jr., 1235 W. 71st Terrace, a lawyer and a 2-term state senator from the 10th District from 1965 to 1974.
Mr. Jones was active in religious affairs and was an elder of the Second Presbyterian Church, where he was a member. He helped to organize and was the first president of the National Council of Presbyterian Men.
He had served as a member of the board of the National Council of Churches and as president of the United Church Men of America, an arm of the council.
Mr. Jones served as president of the Kansas City Community Chest from 1950 to 1952 and received the national "Red Feather" award in 1951 for outstanding service to Kansas City. He was also a board member of the National Council of Community Chests of America.
Honorary degrees from Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa, and Tarkio College, Tarkio, Mo., had been conferred upon him. He was a vice-president of the Board of Trustees of Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Mo., and a trustee of the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, the State University of Iowa Foundation and the Missouri Bible College.
But his activities were not limited to religious and academic affairs. He was a board member or trustee for many organizations including the Helping Hand Institute, Baptist Memorial Hospital, the United Negro College Fund, Inc., the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the American Royal board of governors, the Masonic Lodge, the Young Men's Christian Association, Starlight Theater, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Hospital and the Salvation Army's Booth award.
Besides his wife and son, he also leaves three sons, Russell Stover Jones of the home, Lem T. Jones, Jr., 1235 W. 71st Terrace, and John Paul Jones, Boulder, Colo., two daughters, Miss Sally Jones, Seattle, Wash., and Mrs. Owen D. Roberts, Randall, Minn., and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the church; burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Freeman Chapel. The family suggests contributions to the Martin Luther King, Jr., Hospital, Missouri Valley College, the Y.M.C.A. or the Salvation Army.

Kansas City Times September 22, 1975 page 3

Lem T. Jones, Sr., long-time Kansas City business and civic leader, died Saturday at his home at 803 W. 54th Terrace.
Family members said that Mr. Jones, 79, was working at his office but went home early that afternoon to watch the University of Missouri-Illinois football game on television. He apparently suffered a heart attack while watching the game.Mr. Jones's interests and activities were varied. He was a college instructor, president and partner of Russell Stover Candies, Inc., a banker and served in many community organizations.
He married Jessie E. Stover, sister of Russell Stover, in 1921 and was an executive and partner of the candy company until his retirement in 1961. He also was an original stockholder and office of the Empire State Bank, where he served as a vice-president.
The Jones and Stover families were neighboring farmers in Iowa. The candy career started after Lem and Jessie married, when Jessie Jones began to make confections in her kitchen. The attempts proved so successful that they started the Mrs. Jones' Candy company.
In 1928 Lem and Jessie Jones joined her brother, Russell Stover, in Denver and they put their candy profits into Russell's larger venture. Mr. Jones became the business manager.
He was born in Ebensburg, Pa., and was graduated from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and then began teaching in rural elementary schools there. He was a Navy veteran of World war I and returned to Iowa after the war to resume teaching and head the state's Department of Commerce. He also taught in Cicero, Ill., where he was a college business instructor and the business manager of one of the country's largest high schools at that time.
Mr. Jones moved his family to Kansas City in 1929, where headquarters for the candy company were established a fort time later.
Mr. Jones's divergent interests are probably best shown through a biography on him in Who's Who in America. Under his Christian name of Lemuel Theophilus Jones a list follows of nearly 50 organizations in which he was active or helped to found.
Mr. Jones was active in the Missouri Republican state committee. He was elected chairman of the committee in 1963 and served as finance chairman in 1960.
But he did not restrict himself to just internal Republican party affairs. In 1962 he was the Republican candidate for presiding judge of the Jackson County court, but was defeated. In September 1960 he was suggested as a possible candidate for U.S. senator. Later that year, in April, he was mentioned as a possible candidate for governor.
Mr. Jones's political activities have been carried on by his son, Lem T. Jones, Jr., 1235 W. 71st Terrace, a lawyer and a 2-term state senator from the 10th District from 1965 to 1974.
Mr. Jones was active in religious affairs and was an elder of the Second Presbyterian Church, where he was a member. He helped to organize and was the first president of the National Council of Presbyterian Men.
He had served as a member of the board of the National Council of Churches and as president of the United Church Men of America, an arm of the council.
Mr. Jones served as president of the Kansas City Community Chest from 1950 to 1952 and received the national "Red Feather" award in 1951 for outstanding service to Kansas City. He was also a board member of the National Council of Community Chests of America.
Honorary degrees from Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa, and Tarkio College, Tarkio, Mo., had been conferred upon him. He was a vice-president of the Board of Trustees of Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Mo., and a trustee of the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, the State University of Iowa Foundation and the Missouri Bible College.
But his activities were not limited to religious and academic affairs. He was a board member or trustee for many organizations including the Helping Hand Institute, Baptist Memorial Hospital, the United Negro College Fund, Inc., the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the American Royal board of governors, the Masonic Lodge, the Young Men's Christian Association, Starlight Theater, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Hospital and the Salvation Army's Booth award.
Besides his wife and son, he also leaves three sons, Russell Stover Jones of the home, Lem T. Jones, Jr., 1235 W. 71st Terrace, and John Paul Jones, Boulder, Colo., two daughters, Miss Sally Jones, Seattle, Wash., and Mrs. Owen D. Roberts, Randall, Minn., and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the church; burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Freeman Chapel. The family suggests contributions to the Martin Luther King, Jr., Hospital, Missouri Valley College, the Y.M.C.A. or the Salvation Army.

Kansas City Times September 22, 1975 page 3