On the evening of March 29, 2018, Baxter Jones Jr. died peacefully of natural causes in his home surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 80 years old.  Baxter was born in Lafayette County on May 1, 1937, and was the youngest child of Lemuel and Exor Mae Jones. He moved to Water Valley where met his wife of  60 years, Mary Lou Jones.

Baxter was an engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad for over forty years where he operated both cargo and passenger trains. An avid outdoorsman, Baxter spent his free time hunting and fishing. He was a talented writer, documenting his childhood during the Great Depression.

Services will be held Monday, April 2, 2018, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Water Valley with Dr. Randy Bain officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until service time. Graveside committal will be at 2 p.m. in Oak Hill Cemetery on Monday.

Baxter is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Jones of Water Valley, and his three children: Paige Evans (Glen) of Oxford, David Jones (Anne) of Memphis, Tenn., and Jennifer Levingston (Jon) of Clarksdale, Miss. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.