MACON, Ga. — If you visit the Greater Rising Star Full Gospel Tabernacle Church on a Sunday morning, then you've probably taken a drive down Plant Street.
The Macon street now shares a name with a long-time Macon pastor and former councilman.
Pastor Charles Jones died earlier this month. His sister and co-pastor of Greater Rising Star Full Gospel Tabernacle Church, Marilyn Bookman, said her brother dedicated his life to making the Macon streets safer.
“That's my hero… but he's everybody's hero in Bibb County because he fights the fight that nobody else wants to fight," Bookman said.
The sign was placed between Jeff Davis Street and Mercer University Drive. Bookman said while her brother was in the hospital, she was able to tell him about the approval of the street sign project.
“He saw it when it was approved. I took it to his hospital bed. He looked at the news and he just smiled," Bookman said. "I felt like at that point this is enough. If we don't make it to the finish line at least he knows it has happened.”
His daughter, Kimberly Jones lost her brother, the son of Pastor Jones, in October 2023. She said she wants the sign to inspire people to be community conscious, like her father was.
"A lady was driving down the street and she saw the sign and said 'Bout time.' She said 'I'm gonna spread the love because that's what he is,'" Jones said.
The job isn't done for Bookman, who said she will continue to honor her brother's legacy one project at a time. She said her next project will feature room for a checker park on the property Pastor Charles Jones left behind.
“That's my goal: to make sure we stay in this community. We put that checker park up for our kids and older people to come back," Bookman said.
A celebration of Jones' life will be held Saturday, June 29 at noon. Services will be held at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church on Bloomfield Drive.