Reggie Jones found purpose in serving others

Reggie Jones was supposed to be at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis’ annual recognition ceremony Tuesday night, receiving the culminating honor for 30 years of service.

Instead, his wife, Rukiya, and son Koby accepted the recognition on his behalf.

Jones, the longtime director of the Herbert Hoover Club and mayor of Dellwood, died Friday at age 53 — just four days before the organization was set to celebrate three decades of his work with young people.

A video was cued up that gave the aesthetic of a camcorder — the video technology used when Jones began his career at Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club in 1995. His starting salary was $5.25 an hour.

“Working at Herbert Hoover is the only full-time job I’ve ever had,” Jones said in the video. “I don’t even have a résumé. And if I did, all the positions would be from Herbert Hoover.”

Jones spent much of his life serving young people, his church and the community he called home. That commitment carried him from the football fields of St. Louis to the halls of government and, ultimately, to the mayor’s office in Dellwood.

“We have lost the heartbeat of our family’s laughter and joy,” his family said in a statement. “Reggie was a rare soul who could walk into any room, take command of the atmosphere, and somehow make everyone feel at home.”

Reginald Jones was born July 22, 1973, in St. Louis, the youngest of six children of Frank and Ann Jones.

A graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he was a member of New Sunny Mount Missionary Baptist Church, where he was ordained a deacon in March 2022.

Long before he entered politics, Jones had established himself as a servant of young people. He served as president of the St. Louis Junior Football League from 1999 to 2013 while building what would become one of the defining relationships of his life — his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.

Jones rose to become director of the Herbert Hoover Club, a position he held at the time of his death.

“You couldn’t have told me January 3, 1996, that I would end up being here for 30 years,” Jones said in the video. “I mean, who do you know that works in a place for 30 years these days?”

Allisa “AJ” Foster, an alumna of Herbert Hoover, saw Jones’ leadership in action.

“People like Mr. Reggie and Mr. Martin were creating something much bigger than an after-school program,” Foster said. “They were creating a community.”

That same spirit of service followed Jones into public office.

His political career began in 2010, when he was elected to the Riverview Gardens School District board. He later served as Dellwood collector and 3rd Ward alderman before becoming mayor in 2013.

He stepped into the position at a pivotal moment for North St. Louis County. A year into his tenure, the Ferguson uprising brought worldwide attention to the region. Numerous businesses in Dellwood were burned or damaged during the unrest that followed the police killing of Michael Brown Jr. in neighboring Ferguson.

Jones worried that Dellwood’s losses would be overshadowed.

“I didn’t want people to forget about Dellwood,” Jones told St. Louis Public Radio in 2024.

Jones led the city through a difficult period while working to position it for recovery and growth.

Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis President and CEO Michael P. McMillan worked alongside Jones on projects including a senior living center and Urban League Plaza along West Florissant Avenue.

“Through some of our region’s most challenging moments, he remained committed to rebuilding, restoring hope and creating greater opportunities for the families and businesses he served,” McMillan said.

Under Jones’ leadership, Dellwood voters approved a $7 million bond issue to resurface streets and install new signage. In April, more than 90% of voters approved a separate $6 million bond measure for new community and infrastructure projects.

Jones called the effort a “Dellwood renaissance.”

“You have to think forward because you can’t just think for today,” he told KSDK.

Jones also emphasized bringing residents together through community programming and events, including Dellwood’s annual Juneteenth Festival, which grew into a regional celebration of Black culture.

His leadership style centered on nurturing relationships with residents and the surrounding community.

That was evident last month when 11-year-old Dellwood entrepreneur Keon King Jr.’s lemonade stand was shut down over what city officials later acknowledged was a misunderstanding.

“We make lemonade out of lemons,” Jones said. “Sometimes the greatest opportunities and strongest relationships can come from a misunderstanding.”

Jones was selected for the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Young Leaders in 2013. In 2020, he was elected Ferguson Township committeeman.

Back at Herbert Hoover on Tuesday, Dr. Flint Fowler, who worked alongside Jones for nearly three decades, recalled a colleague who was never satisfied with simply doing the job before him.

“The term ‘Midas touch’ comes to mind when I think of him,” Fowler said. “I think Reggie always looked to elevate his game — which means he elevated the impact of the programs and services that the Boys & Girls Club provides.”

Koby Jones accepted the recognition his father was supposed to receive.

“My dad was a powerful man,” Koby said. “It means a lot to me and my family to know that his hard work over the years and the impact that he has made will not be forgotten.”

Jones is survived by his wife of more than 25 years, Rukiya Jones; four children; and five grandchildren.

“While our hearts are broken by his passing, we find comfort in knowing that the impact of his life will continue through the family he loved, the people he served, the communities he touched and the countless lives made better simply because he was in them,” his family said.

A wake for Jones will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at William C. Harris Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at New Sunny Mount Baptist Church. A repass will follow directly after the service at Family Haven Event Center in Dellwood.

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