Winifred Small Jones funded 2 endowments in the School of Biological Sciences, including the Lois Sager Foxhall Memorial Fund in honor of her friend, and the Department of Microbiology Winifred Small Jones Endowed Excellence Fund to support the former Department of Microbiology (now supporting the Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology).  Many activities in MGM are possible only through Mrs. Jones’ generosity.

Winifred Small Jones

Microbiologist and University Benefactor

Winifred Small Jones dedicated herself to the advancement of higher education. Upon graduation from Amarillo High School in 1934, Winifred attended Texas State College for Women (later named Texas Woman’s University) and then transferred to The University of Texas in 1937. She received a B.A. in Bacteriology in 1940. At UT, Winifred was an active member of the Bit and Spur equestrian club, Mortar Board, Ashbel Literary Society, and president of Kappa Alpha Theta. She also met her future husband, John T. Jones, while at the University.

In 1943, Winifred joined the Red Cross and became the first director of the Red Cross Aero Club in Wendling, England. She was also on the Continent in a Red Cross Clubmobile after D-Day. John and Winifred were married in 1945 upon their return to the States.

Mrs. Jones’ service in the Red Cross helped to stimulate her interest in higher education administration. In 1953, she was named to the Board of Regents of Texas Woman’s University, and served until 1964. She was appointed chair of the Board in 1963, thus becoming the first woman to Chair a Board of Regents in Texas. She later headed a federal advisory council that examined educational programs for nurses, believing that nurses should have access to more rigorous medical training. In 1971, Mrs. Jones served as a trustee at St. John’s school in Houston, which she helped to successfully integrate.

Continuing her dedication to the betterment of higher education, Mrs. Jones endowed one Fellowship and one Excellence fund at the University. The Lois Sager Foxhall Fellowship (LINK), created in 1989 to honor her good friend, supports research in virology or immunology as part of an effors to study multiple sclerosis and related diseases. In 1994, the Department of Microbiology Winifred Small Jones Endowed Excellence Fund was established to provide support for research and teaching in microbiology. In recognition of her distinguished professional career and dedication to UT, the College of Natural Sciences and the Natural Sciences Foundation Advisory Council honored Mrs. Jones as recipient of the Natural Sciences Hall of Honor Award in 1997.