John Allen Jones, 88 passed away on Monday, November 22, 2010 at home following a long courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.
John was born on March 8, 1922 in Sisseton, SD to Harry and Bessie Jones. He received his education in Pipestone, MN and Flandreau SD. After graduation, he went on to the Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS. He served in WWII in Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii receiving the Purple Heart and Bronze Star awards.
He was united in marriage to Joan Cromwell on December 24, 1951 in Pipestone, MN. Together they raised 2 daughters. He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a maintenance engineer in various locations – Nevada, Arizona, and North Dakota.
A major change happened in his life when he came to knowledge of Jehovah, the God of the Bible and dedicated his life to him in 1958 and was baptized as one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He later served as an elder in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Breckenridge, MN, Sisseton, SD and Pipestone, MN. Upon early retirement, he took up the full-time ministry; he loved to travel and was an avid golfer. He will always be remembered for his unpredictable dry sense of humor and generous spirit.
John was preceded in death by his parents, 4 brothers; Richard, Harry Jr., Walter, Gordon and 2 sisters; Elaine and Pearl.
Survivors include his wife of nearly 59 years, Joan, 2 daughters; Debbie (Loren) Matz, Sioux Falls, SD and Rochelle Jones, Rapid City, SD, 2 grandsons; Shawn Matz, Fort Collins, Co and Brock Matz, Sioux Falls, SD.
He will be missed until we see him again when, as he firmly believed, the resurrection to a paradise earth will take place. The, as Revelation 21:4 states: “And he (God) will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.”
A memorial service will be Saturday, November 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses located at 4900 W. St., Sioux Falls.
|
