Rev. Willis Lee Jones' plans for revitalizing the city's East side brought some of the first new construction in 20 years to the neighborhood around the old War Memorial Stadium. He was the pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist church which he founded in 1964. The church was moved by him a year later to within 2 blocks of the old stadium. He was very active in many community organizations and a political ally of Mayor Griffin.
He helped develop two 100 unit, seven story senior citizens apartment buildings known as God's City in the early 1980s. This was the first major construction in the area in over two decades. He also was involved with neighborhood youth through the church’s many programs and recruited up to 35 young men into the ministry. He was born and educated in Lake Providence, Louisiana and served in the US Army during the Korean War. He moved to Buffalo in 1953 and it was here that he was called to the ministry.
Rev. Jones was 51 years of age at the time of his passing on November 10, 1992. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
