Larry A. Jones, 66, of South Charleston passed away Sunday, December 8, 2013 at the Hubbard Hopsice House West, located in South Charleston after a long illness with a brain tumor. Larry was visited often by family members and dear friends.

Born November 24, 1947, in Charleston, he was the son of the late Katheren Jones Taylor of Charleston and Ernest A Jones of Goshen, Ind. He was also preceded in death by his grandmother Verdie Thaxton.

Larry often stated he was loud, overbearing, very demanding, loving and fair. Larry loved every young adult he came in contact with throughout his many years of teaching and coaching.
He truly loved and admired his friends; they were all very special, very close and will never know how much they all meant to him.

Larry was a member of the first graduation class from the current Sissonville High School in 1965. After graduation he attended Connors State Junior College, in Warner, Oklahoma, on a football scholarship. After attending there for 1 ½ years, he transferred to Central Missouri State, in Warrensburg, Missouri, on a football and track scholarship. He blew his knee out there, while playing college football. He then returned home and attended Marshall University where he was a member of the Sig Phi Epsilon. In 1970, he graduated from Marshal with a Bachelor of Arts degree and started working at West Virginia Vocation Rehabilitation Center at Institute, as a Counselor. He later received a degree a Master of Arts degree from West Virginia University in 1973. With that degree he started teaching school at John Adams Junior High, in 1974, as the only Special Ed teacher. While at John Adams, he coached football, basketball, track and golf. In 1982, he received a Master of Science degree from Marshall University in Industrial Science. He taught at John Adams from 1974 to 1987. In 1987, transferred to Sissonville High School where he was an assistant football coach, and in 1988 became the head football coach of Sissonville High School. That reign lasted until 1997. While head coach, the football team went to the State Playoffs in 1988, 1991, 1992 and to Wheeling in 1994. He was also assistant wrestling coach from 1988 to 1997, and head coach of the girls track team from 1988 to 2010. Larry also coached football at South Charleston High School from 1998 to 2001. He then returned to Sissonville, where he worked as an assistant football coach for 3 years, with his dear and true friend Henry Lanham and then assistant for another friend Todd Cavalier. After retiring from teaching he stayed on as the assistant girls track coach under one of his fellow football players and dear friend, Chad McClanahan. Larry retired from teaching at Sissonville High where he graduated 45 years earlier.

Larry had many accomplishments in his life. He was named Junior High Football Coach of the year in 1986, High School Football Coach of the year in 1994, coached in North South Football game, and was Track and Field Official of the Year in 2011. In 1984, while at John Adams, they won the AA Conference Championship and tied for the title in 1986. In 1994, he took Sissonville High School to Wheeling in 1994 to play for the State Championship. In June 2010 the Sissonville High Tack was named for him and has a sign posted saying "Welcome to the Larry Jones Walking and Running Track".

Larry was a member of Fairlawn Baptist Church, Dunbar, West Virginia Coaches Association and West Virginia Field and Track Association. He loved playing golf, fishing and watching Marshall and Oklahoma U play football.

Larry became associated with many wonderful people, which include parents, teaching staffs, students, administrators and service employees. All of those people touched Larry's life tremendously, but most important to him were his students and his student athletes.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 43 years Virginia (Ginny), his daughter Kathy and her husband John Wilson of Huntington, his sister-in-law, who he loved like a sister and often called her the older woman by 5 months, Betty and her husband Jack Slike of Struthers, Ohio, brother-in-laws Dick and his wife Maggie Conner of St. Albans, Harry, who he loved as a younger brother he never had, and his wife Kathy Conner, of Chattanooga, Tenn. He is also survived by several nieces, nephew, great nieces and great nephews.

The family would like to say a very special thanks to the Hubbard Hospice House West personnel and to the dear friends that saw us through this difficult time in our lives.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 12, at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar with Rev. Joe Ballard and Rev. Tim Britton officiating. Burial will follow in Floral Hills Garden of Memories, Sissonville.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, December 11, at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar