Clarence Roland Jones

C. Roland Jones, Jr., 79, died on Sunday, December 29, 2024. Roland was the son of Helen Turner Jones and Clarence Roland Jones, Sr. and was married for 58 years to Charlene Neal Jones.

Roland was born and raised in Spartanburg, S.C. He graduated from Spartanburg High School, Wofford College, and the University of South Carolina Law School. He previously served as 7th Judicial Circuit Assistant Solicitor, as Associate Judge of the Spartanburg Civil and Criminal Court, and as Chief Magistrate of the Spartanburg Magistrate Court. He was previously a partner in the Ward Law Firm and Jones & Hendrix Law Firm. Roland retired with the rank of Major in 2005 from the 12th JAG Army Reserve.

In addition to his wife, Roland is survived by his children Clarence "Rence" Roland Jones III (Kelley) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Jennifer Jones Hallenbeck (Brad) of Spartanburg; grandchildren Clarence "Claeland" Roland Jones IV, Clark Neal Jones, and Wilkes Ivey Jones of Mt. Pleasant, SC; granddaughters Ellie Neal Hallenbeck and Marianna Cook Hallenbeck of Spartanburg; sisters Marguerite "Peggy" Jones Cook of Little River, SC, and Annette Jones Boehm of Greenville, SC and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; along with many, many great friends. 

Roland was a member of First Presbyterian Church, the Emmaus Sunday School Class, and a longtime member of the Usher Guild. He was also a member of the First Citizens Bank Spartanburg Advisory Board, the Charleston Law School Advisory Board, American Legion Post 28, the Spartanburg Bar Association and the SC Bar Association, former President of the Spartanburg Young Lawyers Club, and a former member of the Downtown Spartanburg Sertoma Club. 

Roland enjoyed life and had the ability to find fun in everything he did. A lot of his retirement time was spent enjoying his grandchildren across the state, whether at sporting events, birthday parties, or holiday gatherings. Roland always enjoyed a quick drive to Skyuka Mountain and spending time at the family house. He was very fortunate to have so many wonderful friends (some of whom were friends from elementary, middle and high school) that he kept up with regularly over the years.

Although Roland wanted to be an attorney from the time he was about 6 years old, his true love was teaching. He first taught English at Chesnee High School (SC), and while he was in law school, he served as teacher and principal of the night school at Central Correctional Institute (CCI) of the SC Department of Corrections. He was a teaching associate in the University of South Carolina Law School Clinics Program for two years following his graduation from law school. Upon his return to Spartanburg, he taught part-time in the Criminal Justice Program at USC-Spartanburg (now USC Upstate). Upon retirement from the practice of law, Roland taught and served as career path consultant at the Charleston Law School for 10 years.

The family will hold a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church Spartanburg at 1:00 PM on January 18, 2025 and receive friends afterwards in the First Presbyterian Social Hall. Military funeral honors will be presented by American Legion Post 28.

It is requested that contributions in memory of Roland be made to American Legion Post 28, P.O. Box 391, Spartanburg SC 29304 or the American Heart Association, at heart.org.