Willie “Boot” E. Sykes Jones was born May 19th, 1952 in Coffeeville, MS to Learteen McNeil and John Sykes of Holly Bluff, MS. He passed away peacefully on December 24, 2024 at his home in Chicago, IL with his special friend Emma Jean Calloway by his side.
He attended St. Stephens United Methodist Church in Yazoo City, MS, where he accepted Christ at a very young age. He sang in the choir, was an altar boy and became a member of the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). You could catch him every Sunday in his crispy white robe, too sharp to handle without gloves. Growing up he enjoyed baseball and football. Boot took great pride in his appearance. He thought he was the sharpest thing walking and you could never catch him at any time with anything out of place. Boot and the graduating class of 1970 (formally educated at ND Taylor High School), were the first integrated class to graduate from Yazoo City High School. He was also one of the founding members of the Beta Club, an organization started at N.D. Taylor High School.
After high school “Boot” attended Alcorn A&M College (now Alcorn State University) making sure to come home on weekends and holidays. He was very well liked, even popular some may say and loved by many. Before finishing college, he moved to Chicago where he and his high-school sweetheart Julia Jones married and started their family.
The family bakery “Julia’s Kitchen” was started shortly after they married, and this is where you could find “Mr. Jones”, working the mixer and greeting all that came. When he wasn’t working at the bakery, he was home watching his Cubs on TV or enjoying The WWF with his baby girl Kimberly. He attended the Evangelistic Crusaders Church on Cottage Grove in Chicago, IL where he took up arms as a deacon of the congregation. Once the bakery closed, which was hard for all, including the neighborhood, He traveled a little bit and was able to see his oldest Son get married and welcome new grandchildren.
In 2003, his health battle began. Although he was a man of very few smiles he was of good character and very content. His special friend Emma Jean made sure to keep “Boot” up to his stylish self during this time and until he passed.
He was preceded in death by his Maternal Grandparents Jimmie D. Jones, Sr, and Mary Jane Jones, “Madea and Daddy” who raised him from birth and later adopted him. Once his last name was changed to Jones, he made sure to never let his siblings forget it. He was also preceded in death by his adopted siblings, Rolena Jones Edwards, Ida Jones Fountain, Jimmie D Jones Jr., Sylvester Jones, Sr., Henry Earl Jones, his biological father John Sykes, biological brothers, Charles McNeil, Johnny McNeil, Michael McNeil and Evan McNeil.
Those left behind to cherish his memory are Julia Jones, his children, Kendall (Kristen) Jones, Cortney Jones, Robert ( Keisha) Jones, Kimberly Jones and his sister Willidora Sykes and many grandchildren and a great grandson, his adopted siblings, John Thomas(Shirley) Jones, Learteen McNeil, Carrie (Lee) Williams, Emma Jones Kimble and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. Boot shared a very special relationship with his cousin Patricia Gaines (Plantation, Florida) who he affectionately called “Patches”. Patches called him every Sunday without fail for many, many, many years and was sure to visit him when in town. She arrived in Chicago the day of his passing.
