Homer William “Bill” Jones, Jr., affectionately known on-and-off to his E-2 classmates as “Homer,” passed away in Las Vegas, NV, on 30 May 2005. His E-2 classmates were actually his extended family, and they strongly supported Homer right through his final illness, brought on by a fluids management challenge that his body struggled with many years.
While his earlier irreverent commentaries (to those of us that knew him well) on cadet life at West Point and his short-lived military career demonstrated disdain, Homer, like so many of us, later realized the values of Duty, Honor, Country and gained an appreciation for the life-altering experience West Point offered to so many of us.
His cadet years were essentially “routine,” if one could ever describe cadet life in that fashion. As an “Army brat,” however, he knew that routine and managed to stay out of the tactical and academic department’s “harm’s way,” purposefully keeping a low profile, never wanting to draw unwarranted attention.
As an “Army brat,” Homer was comfortably familiar with Army life. He was also a descendent of our Long Gray Line—the grandson of Brigadier General Marcus Butler Stokes, Class of 1892, and the nephew of BG Marcus Butler Stokes, Jr. ’24.
After solid academic achievement and varsity swimming contributions, Homer graduated in the upper half of the class and selected Air Defense Artillery as his branch. Shortly after graduation, he married Doris Jackson, and the couple moved on to several branch schools.
Homer successfully completed the Artillery Basic Officer Course at Ft. Sill, OK, and then the lengthy Basic Officer Course at Ft. Bliss, TX. After six months of branch schools, he was frustrated by the prospect of yet another month at Ft. Benning’s Airborne School, yet another delay in reaching his first duty post.
His disdain for “anything Infantry” proved his downfall when his interpretation of army regulations led him erroneously to believe that he merely had to “attend” airborne, not complete it. After successful jumps from the 34-foot tower, often a “tie-breaker” or “washout” for the timid, he elected to “resign” airborne and move on to his first duty station in San Francisco.
The Army had other ideas and credited Homer with a re-write of regulations that required a new Airborne School “completion” standard be applied to the then-Regular Army commissioned officers. Threatened with a Ft. Benning PCS, Homer unfortunately served as an example for non-compliance, but earned his Ranger tab in lieu of airborne wings, the hard way! Other classmates in the same Ranger Class Seven marveled at his tenacity and perseverance in light of overwhelming odds as the cadre attempted to make him an example for “fighting the system”.
He finally arrived at his PCS a year after graduation.
Bill spent his entire, short-lived military career with distinction at a Vacaville, CA, Nike Hercules missile site near Travis Air Force Base, alternately as a launcher platoon leader and as an FRC or radar control officer. He often had regular contact with other classmates on the Nike system "land line" while on operational readiness status.
Predictably, he resigned his regular Army commission and attended the Golden Gate School of Law, San Francisco, with Jack Hug and other classmates, receiving his Juris Doctor degree and, later, gaining admission to the California Bar.
During his Vacaville assignment, he grew fond of the Napa Valley wine country and returned to establish his first law practice in Calistoga, CA. There he met and married Shirley Russell, the love of his life. But after a series of professional setbacks, Homer moved his practice to Alaska. Years later, Homer and Shirley coasted into semiretirement, first in Arizona, then in Wichita, KS, and finally Dallas, TX.
Although Homer constantly faced rejections as an unpublished author of a series of detective novels, he never lost his droll sense of humor, enjoying his periodic contacts with his E-2 classmates and even attending one of E-2’s periodic “mini-reunions”.
Shirley’s untimely death and his own ill health caused Homer to later move from Dallas to Las Vegas as a fresh venue. But within several months his health deteriorated and caused his untimely death on 30 May 2005. His E-2 classmates arranged a fitting military burial with full honors on 27 Jul 2005 at the Southern Nevada Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, Boulder, NV.
Those of his former E-2 classmates that knew him well at West Point, early in his Army career and later in life, fondly remember Homer for his droll wit, his sense of humor, his loyalty and empathy.
Homer Jones’ memory will endure in the hearts and minds of those he loved and those hearts and minds that continue to love him in return. Homer, well done! Be thou at peace!
—Your E-2 classmates