In the golden era of Denver’s Historic Five Points, if you needed a suit pressed or your hat cleaned, you went to C & B Cleaners [& Hatters]. But if you needed a deal brokered, a door opened, or a seat at a table that hadn't been offered to you, you went to see the community builder, Crayton Jones Jr.

His journey mirrored a pivotal chapter of American history, spanning the height of Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, and the "Golden Age of Capitalism." In this article, the term "golden age" refers specifically to the period from late 1958 to 2015. During these years, Five Points reached the peak of its commercial power, serving as a self-sustaining hub for Black business and culture. From his vantage point in the neighborhood, Crayton was a keen observer of this transformation, watching closely as the community navigated the shifting tides of segregation and early integration.

Crayton, known affectionately to the community as “CB,” passed away on December 16, 2025, leaving behind a legacy that served as the literal and figurative fabric of Five Points for decades. He was 90 years old.

A Partnership of Seventy Years

The story of Crayton Jones is inseparable from the woman by his side, Betty Whittaker. High school sweethearts from Shreveport, Louisiana, the pair moved to Denver to build a life that would eventually span 70 years of marriage. In 1958, they founded C & B Cleaners. Rather than renting or waiting for an opportunity, Crayton showed his trademark determination by building the structure that housed the cleaners himself—a physical testament to his "build your own table" philosophy. It was more than a small business; it was an anchor in a neighborhood that was the heartbeat of Black culture and commerce in the West.

While the steam from the presses filled the air, Crayton was busy weaving a different kind of thread—one of connection.

The Man Who Built the Table

As the President and Treasurer of the Five Points Business Association, he became a master of the "quiet deal." He was the bridge between aspiring entrepreneurs and the resources they needed, using his influence to ensure that the community’s "heyday" was felt by as many people as possible.

City leaders sought his counsel, but his neighbors sought his heart. C & B Cleaners became the neighborhood’s unofficial town square—a place where wisdom was dispensed as freely as the morning news, and where Crayton’s gift for storytelling turned every customer into a friend.

A Living Library

It is often said that when an elder passes, a library burns. With Crayton’s departure, Denver loses a vast archive of history. He carried the stories of the South's struggles and the triumphant rise of Black enterprise. A keen observer of the world around him, Crayton watched and learned as legends like Leroy Smith, Thomas Bean, Dr. Ray Piper, O.L. Sonny Lawson, Earl West, and Benny Hooper, and more built their empires. He took those lessons to heart, quietly applying that same spirit of excellence and endurance to his own work and his community advocacy.

To his family, he was "Daddy"—the provider and protector—and "Papa" to the grandchildren who looked to him for a spark of wisdom. He was the head of a large and devoted family, and his values are carried forward by his children: Levert Whittaker, Deborah Jackson, Regina Jones, Fontae Jones, Pelton Jones, Rachelle Abbott, Deselle Jones, and the late Andre Jones. To them, he wasn't just a businessman; he was a guide for what it meant to live with honor and loyalty.

A Lasting Blueprint

Crayton Jones Jr. is reunited in rest with his parents, his sister Ethel Dee, and his son Andre. He leaves behind the love of his life, Betty, a devoted family, friends, and a neighborhood that is infinitely richer for having known him.

While the physical doors to C & B Cleaners, CB's other ventures, The Sandwich Shop, and Jones's Movers may be shuttered and the building completely renovated, the blueprint Crayton left for community and entrepreneurship remains. Even as the landscape of Five Points shifts and the old businesses yield to a new era, the spirit of the deals he made and the doors he opened continues to live on in the foundations of the neighborhood he helped build. For today's entrepreneurs, the question arises: In a rapidly changing world, how can Crayton's 'build your own table' philosophy inspire new generations to carve their own paths and uplift their communities?

All funeral services for Crayton Jones Jr. are being handled by Pipkin Braswell Funeral Services, located at 6601 Colfax Ave., Denver, unless otherwise noted.

Service Timeline:

- Visitation: Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, 12:00 - 4:00 pm

- Celebration of Life: Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, 11:00 am. Livestream available at pipkinbraswell.com

- Interment: Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, 2:00 pm at Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland 10201 Grant St, Thornton, CO 80229

- Repast: Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, 3:00 pm

DWN

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