YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Real estate magnate Carol Jones dies

Posted online

Carol Jones, a magnate in the Springfield real estate industry, died July 22. She was 88.

During the last nine years of her life, Jones had dementia and lived in St. Louis, according to an obituary posted to Legacy.com.

Jones was most well known for her namesake company, Carol Jones Realtors. Founded in 1983, CJR sold in 1994 to an affiliate of Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. CJR in 2018 merged with Leawood, Kansas-based sister company Reece & Nichols Realtors Inc. in a deal that created ReeceNichols Real Estate, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

Jones retired as CEO of CJR in 2008.

In 2011, SBJ identified her as one of 31 Game Changers in conjunction with the business journal’s 31st anniversary. Beyond her company, she was known for community contributions, including establishing the Carol Jones Recovery Center for Women. She was a founding member of the Ozarks Technical Community College Foundation, and in 2010, she pledged a $500,000 donation to OTC to fund scholarships for disadvantaged women and to support a writing center that bears her name.

In 1967, Jones opened Jones and Company Realtors. She sold her interest in the business before starting CJR, according to her obituary. Her career also included 10 years on the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, an appointment by former President Ronald Reagan.

Rebecca Martin, a real estate agent at Murney Associates, Realtors, said in a news release provided to SBJ that Jones set an example for women in business.

"Carol Jones is the reason why there are many successful businesswomen in Springfield," Martin said in the release. "When I look at my peers, the reason we've been able to succeed and dream big is because of the path Carol set forth."

Comments

2 comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment

Congratulations Carol Jones on a life well lived! I do not know her politics and quite frankly I do not care. I do know you do not achieve her level of success without working harder than most! Without taking more risks than most! She was way ahead of her time but thank God she was! Her achievements should be taught in schools! I don’t care what is between your legs or your skin pigmentation! Carol Jones has something to teach all of us! Primarily what is between your ears and how hard are you willing to work for it is what counts most! God bless the Carol Jones family.

Monday, July 26, 2021
user9245

Wonderful friend and mentor

Monday, July 26, 2021
Editors' Pick
Open for Business: The Kebab Shack

The Kebab Shack opened; Hitch Goods launched; and The War Zone Springfield moved.

Most Read
Update cookies preferences