William “Bill” Jewel Jones entered this world on March 30, 1920, on a farm in northeastern Oklahoma, and went to meet his Lord and Savior on November 5, 2015. He was the fourth son of Albert Charles Jones and Bertha Myrtle Thompson Jones. His family lived in several towns and areas, both in Oklahoma and eastern Colorado, while he grew up.
As a teenager, Bill began working in the oil fields of Oklahoma and was working in the Oklahoma panhandle when he met and married his wife Joyce. On October 1, they celebrated 70 years of marriage. Bill and Joyce have two children: Glenn, born in Kansas; and Shirley, born in Texas. Bill and his family moved several times following jobs. They came to Utah in 1954 hoping to find work and headed for Moab when they heard about the uranium boom happening there. During his years in Moab, Bill worked on several important construction jobs, including the dam for Lake Powell and the potash railroad tunnel. He worked for Highland Dairy delivering milk in Moab and the mining camps in northeastern San Juan County and for several years as a trucker. For many years, Bill worked gold, uranium and copper claims in Utah, Colorado and Arizona.
Bill was known for his great sense of humor, friendliness, strong work ethic, and most importantly, his deep spirituality. He accepted Christ in 1958 and spent his life reading and studying his bible, which was always with him. He was a talented mechanic, a creative problem solver and a great outdoorsman, among many other things. Bill loved to hunt, fish and camp.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his five brothers and their wives: Clarence (Katie), Herman (Helen), Roy (Deanna), Warren (Niki), and Raymond (Mary); and sister Winifred.
He is survived by his wife Joyce; son Glenn (Shirley Ann) Jones; daughter Shirley Irene (Michael) Strange; grandsons Brandon and Nathan Strange; granddaughters Tiffany Jones, Jessica Payne and Rachel Strange Ueki; great granddaughter Phoebe Payne and great grandson Niko Ueki; and sister Ruth Bloxson.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday, November 10, at the Assembly of God Church.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com.
