Yontami Trenace (Bell) Jones was born on December 4, 1970, to the late Bishop Robert D. and Bertha Jean Bell.  She departed her earthly home on October 20, 2020.

Yontami was one of the first members of The House of Prayer for All People Church, joining on February 18, 1978, under the leadership of both founder and pastor, her father, the late Robert D. Bell, Sr. It is here, she remained a faithful member under the leadership of Pastor R. Stacey Jenkins, until God called her home. She had a strong faith in God and was one of the HOP ministers.  She owned the drums at HOP.  No one could play them like her….as a matter of fact, HOP felt she was one of the best drummers in the City of Akron.  She graduated from Kenmore High School in 1989 and went on to play basketball at the University of Akron while earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Coaching and Sports Science.

She started coaching the girl’s Junior Varsity basketball team at Kenmore in 1994 and became Varsity Coach in 2000.  She revived the basketball program at Kenmore when they were having a hard time getting kids to try out for the team.  She coached her daughter, Paris Caldwell, who is an Assistant Coach at Kenmore.  She received many accolades during her tenure with the Akron Public Schools.  She won seven City Series titles and was chosen six times as Coach of the Year. In 2019, the Beacon Journal gave her the Clem Caraboolad Memorial Coach of the Year award.  She had many offers to coach at other schools but said her calling was at Kenmore.  It is said that Yontami Jones will be hard to replace…. but we know God will send someone just like Yon…to lead the Lady Cardinals!   She touched so many people’s lives with her kindness, strength, and her belief in God but most of all her smile.  She was always so kind, upbeat, and had an encouraging word.  If you had a personal relationship with her…. you were blessed

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Teacumiseh W. and Margaret E. Neal, Robert Ford, and Helen Peterson; father, Bishop Robert D. Bell, Sr; brother, Robert D. Bell, Jr.

She leaves to cherish her memory loving daughter, Paris Caldwell; grandson, Dominque McKinney; devoted loving mother, Bertha Jean Bell; niece, Essence T. Bell; nephew, Evan Simpson; aunts, Pamela McMiller, Liz Brittain, Mary Ann Ford, Peggy Peterson, Angela Smith, Pam Douglas, and Kathryn Ford; uncles,  Min. Bobby (Antionette) Ford, Albert Ford, Darren Jacobs, and Eddie Nalls; great aunts and uncles, Barbara (Roy) Young and Rudolph (Myrtis) Bell, Sr. and a host of other family and friends.  Her presence will be intensely missed at The House of Prayer for All People Church.