DATE: Thursday, November 13, 1997           TAG: 9711130492

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DATELINE: GREENVILLE, S.C.                  LENGTH:   41 lines

BOB JONES JR. DIES AT 86; WAS HEAD OF UNIVERSITY BOB JONES UNIVERSITY WAS FOUNDED BY HIS FATHER IN 1927.

Bob Jones Jr., chancellor and chairman of the fundamentalist Christian Bob Jones University, died Wednesday at age 86.

He was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in September.

Jones became acting president of Bob Jones College in 1932 and was named president in 1947, the year the school became a university and moved to Greenville. In 1971, he was appointed chancellor of the school, which was founded by his father in 1927 in Cleveland, Tenn.

His son, Bob Jones III, is now president.

Jones preached at the university's daily chapel service, spoke at Bible conferences around the world and was outspoken with his beliefs.

The Rev. David Yearick said his friend sometimes came across as harsh and unbending, but Yearick said he did not think Jones bore hatred and bitterness toward anyone.

``It just comes out of his strong convictions to stand by what he believes,'' he said.

Jones also was known for his cultural interests and was considered a Shakespearean authority and interpreter. He organized the university's nationally acclaimed Shakespearean repertoire group, the Classic Players.

He also was known for his collection of more than 400 religious paintings housed in the Bob Jones University Collection of Sacred Art museum. It includes paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck.

He wrote the novel, ``Wine of Morning,'' which was made into a motion picture that represented the United States at the International Film Festival in Cannes, France.

A later book, ``Cornbread and Caviar,'' was his autobiography.

He is survived by his wife, Fannie May Holmes Jones; three children; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Bob Jones Jr.

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