John Laurence Jones, age 92, of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, died Sunday, May 27, 2018 at his home.
Born August 5, 1925, in Hannibal, Wisconsin, he was a son of the late William C, and Alta Lemke Jones.
John served in the United States Army 5th Armored Division in Germany during World War II as a tank driver. He later became a logger and lumber grader, retiring from the Weyerhaeuser Company.
He married Viola Ready November 22, 1949, and six children were born to them.
John was always busy and active, shopping flea markets and auction sales with Viola; creating wood carvings; and riding his bicycle, in later years collecting aluminum cans for recycling. He spent winter evenings playing board games and card games with his children. In spring and summer he could be found helping to make hay and hiking the hills and collecting watercress in season at Viola’s family farm, “Plum Creek.” He was known to round out neighborhood softball games when another team member was needed. John was a gifted musician, mastering most stringed instruments as well as piano, organ, harmonica and accordion. He could always find a project in his garage or basement. He was riding his bicycle just days before his death, and always said, though he may be old, when he jumped on his bike he “felt like a kid again.” He had a tender heart for turtles, stopping to move any that had wandered into the road.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Viola; three sisters, Ruth Pinkert, Beulah Mae Hazen and Marjorie Chunat; and beloved family friend, Mary Drea.
He is survived by a sister-in-law, Dolores Oswald of Wauzeka, Wisconsin; children: David Jones, of Yuma, Arizona, Paul Jones and Lawrence Jones, both of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, Jennifer McCumber, and husband, Donald, and Crystal Jones, all of Madison, Wisconsin, and Sally Rose, and husband, David, of Frost; and four grandchildren, Samuel Rose of Morgantown, Joseph Rose and Carolina Rose, both of Frost, and David M. Rose, of New London, Connecticut.
John, a man of few words and a quiet faith, accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. A celebration of his renewed life in Heaven will be held June 23 at the Bible Baptist Church in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.