Leo Paul Jones

Leo Paul Jones passed away on November 18, 2022.  He was born in Corinth, Mississippi on May 7, 1929.  He was a graduate of Southeastern and received a Masters from the University of Southern Mississippi.  He coached football and track in high school and then at Perkinston Jr. College, Mississippi College, and Mississippi State University.  He served as Assistant Athletic Director and later as Interim Athletic Director at Miss. State.  After retiring from Mississippi he then served as Athletic Director at Southeastern Louisiana University.  

Among Leo’s achievements are All Little Ten Conference (high school), All Gulf State Conference while at Southeastern and Southeastern’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  He was a Lifetime Member of the American Football Coaches Assoc.  He received the Carl Maddox Distinguished Service Award, All American Football Foundation Award and Louisiana Athletic Director’s Distinguished Award.  He was co-founder of the Gulf Coast Coaching Clinic in Biloxi, MS for over 50 years.

Leo served in the United State Army during the Korean War.  He has been a member of First Baptist Church of Hammond serving as a Deacon and Sunday School Director for many years.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Francis Jones and sister Norma Rickman.  Leo was married to the former Joycelyn (Lynn) Perniciaro.  He and Lynn have two sons, Steve (wife Jo’el) and Todd (wife Toni).  His grandchildren are Chris (wife Amanda), Cory, Cooper and Kirstyn (husband Jarrod), and his great grandchildren Colby, Chase, Cayden, Josie and Livi.  Leo is also survived by his brother Dick Jones from Memphis, TN.

Visitation at Harry McKneely Funeral Home, Hammond, LA, Wednesday, November 23, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until religious services at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in Rose Memorial Cemetery, Hammond.  Pallbearers will be Chris, Corey, Cooper and Colby Jones, Jarrod Granger, Jon DiMiceli and Darren Gomilla.  Honorary pallbearer will be Ron Polk, former Mississippi State University baseball coach.

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