NORFOLK, Va. — Hundreds gathered Wednesday at Christ and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Norfolk to honor the life and legacy of Judge Jerrauld C. Jones — a man remembered not only for his historic accomplishments, but also for his compassion and dedication to his community.
Norfolk Councilman JP Paige recalled how Jones changed the course of his life.
“No idea that I’d be in the place today, going [to] him to represent me,” Paige said. “Because I had gotten in a physical altercation.”
At the time, Jones was an attorney and represented Paige.
“Taking time to tell her away with young person, what needed to be said has always stuck out with me. He's always been compassionate. He's always cared about others,” Paige said.
Jones passed away on May 31. He was 70 years old.
He leaves behind a legacy that includes serving as a Norfolk Circuit Court judge and a state delegate. He also made history as the first African American law clerk to the Supreme Court of Virginia and was one of the first students to integrate Ingleside Elementary School in Norfolk.
Local leaders and former colleagues packed the church to celebrate his impact.
“He had a wonderful temperament and fidelity to the law,” one speaker said during the eulogy.
Virginia State Senator Angelia Williams Graves, who considered Jones a friend and mentor, said the crowd inside the church said it all.
“We had to shut down the church to fit, you know, all the people and still be within the fire code. So that, in and of itself, speaks volumes,” she said.
Jones had sworn Williams Graves into office both when she joined the Norfolk City Council and later when she served as a delegate in the General Assembly.
“He was always prepared. And I think for us legislators, that is a lesson — to know the rules and to always be prepared. And so that's what I'm taking away from it,” she said.
Councilman Paige added: “So he's going to be missed, but he's impacted and touched a lot of young people that are the future leaders of our city, and we're so fortunate to be a part of the legacy of the honorable.”
Jones is survived by his wife, Judge Lyn Simmons, and his son, Jay Jones — a former delegate who is currently running for Virginia attorney general.
