Barbara Joan Jones (Wiley) graduated from Dodge City Senior High School in 1958. The oldest of five children of Raymond and Lola Wiley was raised in Dodge City, Kansas – attending Roosevelt (Miller) Elementary and Dodge City Junior High. Her mother (Lola) started the school lunch program at Miller Elementary and her sister (Benny Wiley - Bethea) was a long-time teacher, counselor, and administrator for USD 443.
Barbara was actively involved at DCHS. She was a member of the Girls Athletic Club, FHA, Kayettes, NHS, STUCO, Pep Club, and was a Class Officer.
In 1962, Barbara was the first African American graduate from Fort Hays University in Hays, Kansas. She graduated, summa cum laude, with bachelor degrees in both Art and English. Her talents caught the attention of Walt Disney himself but Barbara elected to work for Hallmark. She was the first published African American artist for the world-renowned greeting card company.
Barbara married Bob White and relocated from Kansas to Oakland, California. It is there they welcomed a daughter, Tracy. Bob preceded Barbara in death in 1968. Barbara was blessed to meet and marry Marshall Jones. They welcomed two more daughters, Leslie and Melanie. Barbara and Marshall briefly lived in Kirkland, Washington before moving to Sacramento, California in 1976 to raise their family. Barbara and Marshall were both employed by the State of California, Barbara, a District Manager for the California Victim Compensation Government Claims Board, Marshall, a District Sales Representative for the California Lottery. Following retirement, Barbara and Marshall moved to Conyers, Georgia, where they have enjoyed retired life and shared a lifetime of friendship and love for forty-nine years. Barbara passed in 2019 and will be represented by her daughters, brother & sisters, and family in her honor
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