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Submitted: 10/2/17 • Approved: 10/12/17 • Last Updated: 10/15/17 • R1197062-G1197061-S3
John
US Army
World War II
June 26, 1923 - October 7, 2014
*Obituary
Springdale Morning News
Friday, October 10, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE — John David Jones was born in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, on June 26, 1923.
Initially those present at his birth thought John was stillborn and placed him in a corner while attending to his mother. However, John soon began making a ruckus to let them know that he planned on sticking around.
The family home in the village of Tanygrisiau was the standard housing provided to a slate miner's family, complete with an outhouse in the backyard. John's childhood home still exists as an exhibit in the Welsh Slate Museum in Llanberis.
John, along with his mother, Katherine, and sister, Beryl, came to the U.S. at the age of 5 to be with his father, John Griffith, who had left Wales to find work. John's dad, who found work in the Detroit Ford power plant, died three years later on Aug. 5, 1931, leaving Katherine alone with the two children. With the help of Detroit's tightknit Welsh community and her hard work in an automotive factory, she succeeded in raising two fine individuals.
After completing high school when the U.S. entered World War II, John enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps in 1943. He participated in military operations in Tunisia, Italy, and France until his discharge in October 1945.
After the war, he attended Wayne State University for two years and then accepted a job with AT&T. Most importantly, during the job interview process. he met his future wife, Ruth, whom he married on Sept. 25, 1948.
John and Ruth decided that they wanted to move from Detroit to San Francisco, but had the good sense to stop in Seattle where a dinner at Canlis and a job referral for John from an Army buddy sealed the deal.
After working in Seattle for several years, John transferred to manage Pacific Northwest Bell's Bellevue office. Subsequently, he and Ruth bought a house in Kirkland in the Bridlewood Circle neighborhood that they grew to deeply love.
While working in Bellevue, John served as president of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Bellevue Rotary and the Eastside YMCA, and as North King County's United Way chair. In 1966, the Bellevue Jaycees named him Bellevue Citizen of the Year. John worked for Pacific Northwest Bell until 1983.
Inspired by serving as the volunteer campaign manager for a friend's successful run for the State House, John started a second career in politics. In 1970, he was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives, where he served until be was appointed to the State Senate three years later.
He served in the Senate until 1983, and rose to leadership positions as the Republican Caucus Whip (1977-80) and then Caucus Chairman (1980-83). In 1983, John left the Senate to join the State Board of Tax Appeals. He served on the board for three years, the last two as chair. In 1986, he was appointed to the King County Board of Equalization on which he served until 2002, including several years as board chair.
John spent the last 10 years of his life in Fayetteville, Ark., where he and Ruth moved to be near to his son, Brad, and his family. He was a devoted father, grandfather and beloved community member.
He was preceded in death by his father, John; mother, Katherine; sister, Beryl; and grandchild, Greg.
John is survived by his wife, Ruth; sons, David (Vicki) and Brad (Michelle); and grandchildren, Spencer, Sam, Johnny and Ashley.
John was proud of his Welsh heritage. He believed in public service and was a master at the seemingly lost art of working across the political aisle. He couldn't walk for more than a minute in Bellevue without running into someone he knew, delighted to stop for a chat.
A celebration of John's life will be held in Seattle at a later date.
Arrangements are with Heritage Funeral Home.
Gregory
Arkansas National Guard
July 29, 1990 - October 27, 2013
*Obituary
Northwest Arkansas Times
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
FAYETTEVILLE — Gregory Michael Bryant Jones, 23, of Fayetteville, Ark., surrounded by a multitude of family and friends, died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home. He was diagnosed with medulloblastoma brain cancer in March 2009. Gregory was born July 29, 1990, to Michelle and Brad Jones in Fayetteville.
Gregory was a member of the Mission Boulevard Baptist Church where his grandfather was pastor, and attended the Fayetteville Christian School where his father was superintendent.
Greg was an academic honor roll student and senior class president. He earned numerous regional and state science fair awards. He enjoyed playing basketball for the FCS Eagles and was a member of the 2007 state championship team, as well as earning all-conference, district and regional individual honors in 2008. Gregory was a member of the Arkansas National Guard until his illness and subsequent disabilities forced his honorable discharge in 2011.
Greg considered his most memorable and significant achievement to be his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior while a young teenager. He was an incredible inspiration of hope and courage to all who had the privilege to observe his life and battle with a disease that eventually became a terminal illness. His nearly five-year battle with cancer is chronicled at www.caringbridge.org/visit/gregoryjones.
Greg is survived by his parents, Brad and Michelle Jones; brother, William Spencer Jones; sister, Ashley Ruth Jones; paternal grandparents, Senator John David Jones and wife, Ruth; maternal grandparents, Dr. William Brian Disney and wife, Martha; as well as a numerous host of uncles, aunts, cousins and nephews.
Visitation will be at Mission Boulevard Baptist Church on Friday, Nov. 1, from 6-8 p.m.
Funeral services will be Saturday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m.
Funeral services can also be seen live at mbbc.us/resources/stream. Burial service will immediately follow at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fayetteville Christian School in honor of Gregory.
Arrangements are with Heritage Funeral Home.
Messages to the family may be sent by online guest book at www.heritageofnwa.com.
Contributed on 10/2/17 by wfields55
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Record #: 1197062