The legacy of the Texas-based Jones family in Local 2232 is profound. John Vernon Jones, a current Council Representative, carried his family’s history with him when he joined the union in 2004. He later worked as a general foreman at the Budweiser Brewery in Houston and as a high-speed rotor balance technician at the Ethos Turbine Shop. His grandfather, also named John Vernon Jones, was one of the founding members of Local 2232. Since then, much of the family has worked in carpentry and millwork with the Local, keeping their connection to the union strong.
John’s uncle, Duane Jones, followed his father into Local 2232, spending most of his career in power generation and conveyor work before passing away in 1998. Duane’s sister, Linda Jones, joined the union in the 1980s and primarily focused on petrochemical work. After completing her apprenticeship, she worked full-time at Shell Chemical in Deer Park, Texas. The third sibling—and John’s father—Vernon “Kova” Jones, joined in 1972 and dedicated his career to power generation, conveyors, and later petrochemical work. Before passing from liver cancer in 2022, Kova instilled in his children a deep pride in their union and an unwavering commitment to loyalty—even in the most difficult times.
When asked what the Local 2232 legacy means to his family, John said, “To see where we’ve gone, and the positions we are in, I think that’s one of the things that we are proud of: carrying on that union mentality that our father instilled in us to believe in the cause.” He recalls a time in the 1980s when his father struggled to provide for his children as work dried up and unions faced growing pushback.
John remembers “standing in ration lines so we could get our government cheese and green beans… now we reap the benefits of dealing with those hard times. I think that’s [one of the] biggest things he would be proud of… Everybody’s driving good cars. Everybody’s got nice houses. It’s definitely a shock from the way that we grew up, and it’s all dedicated to 2232, the petrochemical market, and what we’ve done here in the union.”
John attributes the current success he and his siblings have found in the union to the resilience and dedication that Kova modeled for them. His brother, Justin Maxey (Jayten Ray Jones), joined the union in 2012, working on the same job site as their father. Despite Kova’s initial hesitation about Justin following his path so closely, Justin has built a prolific career as a petrochemical millwright and now serves as a local trustee. Their sister, Sarah Jones, joined the union in 2018 and found her calling in power generation with APM. She recently completed her first full term as a trustee as well. Both Justin and Sarah have built their careers while raising children as single parents.
John and Justin both noted that the time spent learning about machinery alongside their father gave them the foundation to thrive in their current roles—and a genuine love of their craft. “By the time I was 11,” Justin recalls, “I could rebuild a small block engine in an old Chevrolet. It was already instilled in me before I ever got into the local. And once I got into the local, it ended up translating to me very easily, to where it became something I love.” He credits much of his passion for millwright work to the satisfaction of seeing a project come to life in real time.
“Opening equipment up, diagnosing it, and being able to fix it—and knowing that you’re the reason it’s running smoothly—you’ve got the whole city powered up by something that you did—is a real prideful thing for our family,” Justin says.
A clear testament to how both past and present generations have built a thriving legacy, all three siblings—Justin, Sarah, and John—were elected to serve as local delegates at the 43rd UBC General Convention. John was also voted in as Local 2232’s president. Reflecting on the trust their local members have shown, John shared, “If the membership has that much trust in you—not to even put anyone else against you—then you’ve pretty well secured your values and stature on the rest of the body.”
That union pride now continues into the next generation. John’s cousin Jerry Marvel II began as a journeyman in 2011 and went on to work as a foreman and superintendent. His son, Kohl Marvel, joined the union in 2023 and is set to graduate from his apprenticeship this year, with plans to begin his career in power generation at APM. The family remains a strong example of mutual support and empowerment through union membership.
When asked what he believes the family is most proud of, Justin doesn’t hesitate: “Building a legacy [with] the Jones name. Anywhere down here in Houston in the [construction] world, the last name Jones rings bells.”