Marshall Ray Jones, resident of The Arbor in Ruston LA, and known to friends and family as “Ray,” passed away peacefully on March 28, 2026, at the age of 91. A man defined by his extraordinary determination, professional integrity, and devotion to his family, Ray leaves behind a legacy of hard work and service.
Ray was born on December 12, 1934, in Hindman, Kentucky. He was one of twelve children born to the late Annie Combs Jones and Edward Jones. Ray’s journey from Eastern Kentucky to a successful engineering career was a testament to his grit. After attending Caney Creek College (now Alice Lloyd College) in Pippa Passes, Ray earned a scholarship to the University of Kentucky.
In a feat that remained one of his proudest achievements, Ray completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in just three years. His senior year at UK was punctuated by a national basketball championship, sparking a lifelong, unwavering passion for Kentucky Wildcats basketball.
In 1958, Ray moved to Louisiana to begin a storied 34-year career with Louisiana Power & Light (now Entergy). A rarity in the modern professional world, his entire career was dedicated to a single company, where his work ethic and expertise as an electrical engineer were highly regarded. Through disciplined planning and hard work, he achieved his goal of early retirement at the age of 57.
Beyond his professional accolades, Ray was a “hands-on” father and a committed husband of 68 years to his beloved wife, Helen Mosley Jones. He was always available to his neighbors, willing to lend his skills as a master handyman, carpenter, and electrician.
Ray was preceded in death by ten of his siblings and his daughter, Sheilah Jones Ratliff (d. July 2024-husband-Kenneth Ratliff). He is survived by his wife, Helen Mosley Jones; his sister Gwendolyn Jones Grubbs; his children, Mary Ann Jones Parke (husband-Ivan Parke), Michael Ray Jones (wife-Gina Davis Jones), five grandchildren: Nikki Ratliff Musick, Benjamin Jones, Anne Marie Parke Walley (husband- Micheal Walley), Memorable Jones and Jonathan Parke(JP), and; great grandchildren Isabella Salunga and Alexander Musick.
In accordance with his wishes, there will be no formal service. Ray has been laid to rest in Amburgey Cemetery in the Appalachian Mountains. He rests beside his remarkable mother, who reared twelve children on the mountainside just across the creek from where he now lies.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Alice Lloyd College in the name of Ray Jones, honoring the institution that helped launch his journey.
