"I have used the example of Jones Truck Lines literally all over the world trying to convey to people what a special place Arkansas is and what fine people we have."    - President Bill Clinton
  
       

      
Harvey Jones  Bernice Jones 

1900-1989

1905-2003
   

Despite their extensive accomplishments and good works, Harvey and Bernice Jones actively avoided the limelight.  They simply loved helping people, and the satisfaction of knowing that they made someone else's life better was recognition enough.  The keystone to this philosophy was the belief that the rewards of one's labor should be used for the benefit of the community and mankind.  This philosophy is still Bernice's guiding light.
  
During the 51 years of Harvey and Bernice Jones's marriage, their lives were closely entwined with their employees, the church and numerous civic organizations.  They had success because they delighted in helping others; not because they wanted to.
  
It all began near Springdale, Ark. in the early 1900s.  Both Harvey and Bernice were children of hard-working farm parents who had a strong work ethic and high moral values.  Harvey wanted to be a doctor.  Bernice wanted to be a teacher.  Neither career materialized, for you see, greater things were in store for both.
  
Harvey's career started in 1918 during the prolonged railroad strike in Northwest Arkansas.  There was a desperate need to transport supplies between Springdale, Rogers and Fayetteville, and Harvey seized the opportunity.  He purchased a team of mules with an old Springfield wagon, and he was in business.  In 1919 he bought his first used hard rubber tire Federal truck, and the Springdale Transportation Company was born. 
     
In those early years, his business flourished, and routes to Ft. Smith, Ark. and Joplin and Springfield, Mo. were added.  He hauled everything from dry goods to lumber and built a reputation on honesty and dependability.  These values became increasingly important when the Great Depression hit.  He never failed a customer and often accepted barter as a payment while sometimes working 16-hour days.

  
In 1933, the Springdale Transportation Company became Jones Truck Lines, Inc. (JTL).  Over the next 60 years, JTL would become the largest privately- owned truck line in the United States.  By 1980 when JTL was sold, the company was in 15 states and traveled over100,000 miles daily.  They had 41 terminals, 2,500 pieces of equipment and employed 1,500 people.
   
Harvey was also an avid civic leader.  In the early 1930's Springdale could not afford to keep all of its schools open.  Harvey rented a church building, hired a teacher, and paid for supplies to open a school for grades one through six.  The following year the schools were re-opened, but Harvey continued his support of education by buying supplies and giving a multitude of scholarships so children in the community could continue on to college.
  
Harvey was chairman of the Springdale Memorial Hospital Board, President of the School Board, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank of Springdale among other important posts.  In 1969, he was the first recipient of the Springdale Chamber of Commerce "Outstanding Civic Service Award".
  
In all of these endeavors by Harvey, Bernice was an important and equal partner.  However, she had a strong Identity of her own.  Shortly after the truck line was sold in 1980, Harvey became ill and progressively incapacitated.  All of the Jones' remaining business endeavors became Bernice's responsibility, and it was her decision to expand their philanthropic endeavors.
  
Beneficiaries of her generosity include libraries, museums, children's homes, churches and substantial gifts to several colleges and universities.  She has provided for hundreds of nursing scholarships, and together with Harvey, has been a lifelong supporter of Springdale Memorial Hospital.  In fact, she was the first Woman to serve on the Hospital's Board of Directors.
  
Recently, she was instrumental in helping to establish a nursing school in Northwest Arkansas, providing classroom facilities and property that was once used by Jones Truck Lines, Inc.
  
Bernice has been a teacher and a youth leader in the Baptist Church, and a member of numerous Board of Trustees related to her philanthropic projects.  She is presently Honorary Chairperson of the Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute's Advisory Board at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
  
In 1992 she was the first woman to receive the "Outstanding Civic Service Award" given annually by the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.  In May 1993, she received the UAMS College of Medicine's "Distinguished Service Award".
  
To list all of Harvey and Bernice Jones's contributions and awards would take several pages.  One must not overlook what some would say has been their greatest gift, that is, their gift of love and concern for those who needed a helping hand.
  
    
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