Howard L. Jones

Howard L. Jones — A Life Built with His Hands and His Heart

Howard L. Jones entered the world on January 25, 1950, in Aliceville, Alabama, born to the late

Mattie B. Jones and Oliver Jones, and born into a legacy of dignity, faith, and hard work that

would shape every chapter of his life. He passed away peacefully on December 6, 2025, at

Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, having accepted Christ as his Savior just one day earlier. Even

in his final hours, Howard did things in his own time, in his own way.

His early years unfolded against the backdrop of the Great Migration. The Jones family

journeyed from Alabama to Chicago, then to Detroit, and finally settled in Delaware, following

the path of opportunity created by the auto industry at Chrysler. They first lived in Dunleith

before moving to Wilmington’s West Side, where Howard spent some of his most formative and

joyful years. He often reminisced about those days on 5th Street, his siblings (the late Olvan

Jones, Phyllis Johnson, Melvin Jones, and Lisa Jones), his parents’ work ethic, and the

closeness of a community all striving and dreaming together. Those memories were a

foundation he returned to many times throughout his life.

Howard graduated from Wilmington High School in 1968, where he played football and earned

the nickname “Naj,” a name spoken with familiarity and affection by his friends. The origin of the

nickname may blur with time, but many believe it came from his dear friend, Sam Black, who

preceded him in death. What never faded was the sentiment behind it. Howard was memorable,

respected, and unmistakably himself.

It was in high school that he met the girl who would become the center of his world, Dannie Mae

Ransom, his beloved “Dana Mae.” Their love was steady, unwavering, and deeply rooted, the

kind that felt both inevitable and enduring. They married on September 25, 1970, and built a life

filled with love, partnership, and purpose. Together they raised their three daughters, Bridgette,

Karla, and Denita, on the North Side of Wilmington. Howard devoted himself to providing for

them, making sure they never wanted for anything, teaching them what strength, responsibility,

and love looked like through quiet, everyday actions.

Howard worked for and retired from Chrysler, continuing the legacy his father began. But he

was never a man meant to stay still. As a boy, he watched his father build businesses, cultivate

land, and create opportunities through ownership. Howard absorbed those lessons instinctively.

He would often stress that ownership meant freedom, power, and independence. He became an

entrepreneur in every sense, owning rental properties across the city, investing in land, and

running a construction company that left its mark on Wilmington for decades. He did demolition,

hauling, and excavation, work that demanded grit, skill, intuition, and equipment that few could

obtain. His hands-built things that lasted. His work ethic built a reputation that endured.

He took special pride in the farmland that his father had purchased decades earlier. Tending to it

was more than a responsibility. It was an act of honoring his roots, preserving family history, and

ensuring that future generations knew where they came from. Howard respected the elders and

ancestors whose sacrifices made his own life possible, and he carried that reverence into the

way he lived.

Howard was, in every way, “old school,” a man who believed in the value of doing things the

right way the first time. He always had a handkerchief, always carried cash, and insisted others

do the same. He made sure his children and grandchildren left his presence with “money in your

pocket,” because preparedness and protection were, to him, forms of love. If you were driving a

car, he believed you should keep tools in the trunk, know how to fix a few things, and keep a

physical map. If life taught him anything, it was to never depend on chance.

He was a “jack of all trades” with a gift for building, repairing, and problem solving. If you came

to him with an issue, he had an answer, usually a practical one, always grounded in experience,

intuition, and wisdom. Howard accumulated tools, equipment, and supplies not out of clutter but

out of possibility. He did not believe in throwing things away when something could be useful

again, transformed, or rebuilt.

He loved driving and traveling, especially RV trips with family, windows down and the road

stretching endlessly forward. He loved good hats, polished shoes, and dressing with a style that

was uniquely his own. He loved Alabama, the country, and the deep roots of his upbringing. He

loved family reunions and seeing cousins from around the country, swapping stories, and

keeping the names and memories of ancestors alive.

Above all, Howard loved his family. He loved his daughters (Bridgette Spencer (Michael), Karla

Jones-Milton (Brad), and Denita Jones Price (Derrick)), his seven grandchildren, his two great-

grandchildren, and the generations still to come. He loved fiercely, quietly, and consistently. He

was a “manly man,” whose strength was expressed through protection, provision, and presence.

Howard leaves behind a legacy built not just on what he owned or accomplished, but on who he

was. He was a leader, a builder, a provider, and a man who honored tradition, valued family, and

believed deeply in doing for oneself. The work he did speaks for him. His life was a testament to

perseverance, loyalty, and pride in his work, in his roots, and in the people he loved.

And it was a life well lived.