Dr. Rose Marie Bryant Jones

Dr. Rose Marie Bryant Grissom Jones transitioned to Heaven on December 26, 2025. She was 83. Dr. Jones was born on January 7, 1942, as the only child to the late Annie Mae Thomas Bryant and the late Noble Bryant. She was born in Lonoke County and raised in Pulaski County. She made her confession of faith at an early age and was a member of Mt. Sinai Christian Church in North Little Rock until her health began to fail.

She attended the segregated public schools in Little Rock including Horace Mann High School in which she was classmates with members of the Little Rock Nine. Due to the “Lost Year” in which Little Rock public schools were closed for the 1958-1959 school year, Rose completed high school at George Washington Carver High School in Lonoke graduating in 1959. Upon graduation, she attended Philander Smith College [University] completing a Bachelors degree in Education. As a seasoned adult, she completed her Doctorate in Theology at the University of Arkansas.

After graduating from Philander, she returned to Lonoke and began teaching at Carver and later at Lonoke Public Schools. During her entire thirty-plus teaching career, she taught third grade. Mrs. Jones’s lessons extended outside of the classroom. She was a Girl Scout Troop Leader for Carver students; she organized after school and peer tutoring; developed summer academic programs; and ran a daycare. Additionally, she was heavily involved in local politics. She was instrumental in redistricting both the Lonoke City Council and Lonoke Public School Board to ensure that there was adequate representation reflective of the diverse makeup of Lonoke. She was elected to the Lonoke City Council. Dr. Jones was active in volunteering for state and federal elections including supporting a number of Democrat and Republican candidates. In 1998, she was the Arkansas Republican nominee for Secretary of State. Although the results were not what she hoped, she continued to be active with the Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) including being a founding member of the African American Coalition of Arkansas (AACA) within the RPA. Her most recent involvement was serving on the Lonoke County Quorum Court as a Justice of Peace. During her lifetime, she received many awards including the AACA Frederick Douglas Award and AACA Trailblazers Award.

Rose was a mother to many in her community having three adopted children and two biological children. One child predeceased her. She leaves to cherish her memory, her children Samuel (Tauvia) Grissom of The Colony, Texas; Christia Jones, Broderick Daniels, and Roderick Daniels all of Lonoke; granddaughters Sherah (Kenzel) Rosenbalm and Alana Grissom; and a new great-grandson. She will be missed by host of family members, former students, and those whose lives she touched.

She was predeceased by the late Samuel Grissom, Sr., Harvey Jones, and Brenda Daniels Burnett.

Rose Marie Bryant Grissom Jones was a lifelong learner and teacher. She was eager to meet the greatest Teacher and learn more at His feet.

A visitation will be held 5:00-8:00pm, Friday, January 9, 2026 at Boyd Funeral Home Chapel.  A Homegoing Celebration will be 11:00am, Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Progressive Church located at 9895 Hwy 165 W, Scott, Arkansas 72142.  Interment will be at Pea Ridge Cemetery on Hwy 15 S Scott, Arkansas.