Jeanne Jones Obituary
Carol Jeanne Jones, known lovingly to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as “Grammy”, passed away on December 22, 2020, at her home near Des Moines, New Mexico.
Jeanne was born on March 29, 1939, in Des Moines. She lived all but around 10 of her 81 years in and around Des Moines. Her parents and grandparents were early settlers in Union County and she grew up on the Wilkinson ranch with her three sisters. Jeanne first eyed the love of her life, Jerome Thomas ”Jerry” Jones, when she was traveling home on a Greyhound bus from a visit with her cousin. She noticed him before he got off the bus near Mount Dora and disappeared over the train tracks into the dark where his parents’ ranch was located. After graduating Des Moines High School in 1956, Jeanne attended ENMU in Portales.
She married “Her Jonesy” August 23, 1957 and they were married for 48 years, before Jerry’s untimely passing in 2005. Together, they raised 5 kids and lived rich, meaningful lives. They moved back to Des Moines after 6 years in Espanola and Ruidoso where Jerry first served with the NM State Police. Jeanne was the very first teller at the new branch of the Farmers & Stockmen’s Bank in Des Moines. She and Jerry owned and operated Jones & Harkins Propane and Clayton Propane, built and opened the Sierra Grande Restaurant with partners, and then returned to ranching in the early 1980s.
Jeanne was one of a kind. She lived her life on her own terms and stayed true to her country values. She loved being around other people but had no problem living by herself in her little house at the Horseshoe. Above all, she cherished her family, past and present. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and delighted in their visits and pictures. She could tell you the relative or ancestor who had owned each antique chest or piece of furniture (most in a perpetual state of refinishing) and perhaps the barn attic from which she had rescued it. She was a strong woman, stubborn and fiercely independent, never wanting to be a burden. Through her 70s, she loved toiling away in her garden, creating paths and terraces and flowerbeds, rock by rock and bulb by bulb. Each interesting rock, fossil, artifact or piece of driftwood collected and deposited in her yard had a story and each represented her simple enjoyment of living each day with curiosity and gratitude. To one child visiting her garden, she was “the amazing rock lady”. To her family, she was just Mom and Grammy and that was pretty great.
In addition to her parents Van and Virginia Wilkinson, Jerry’s parents, Grover & Eleanor Jones, and her husband Jerry, Jeanne was preceded in death by a son, Malcolm Thomas Jones and a son-in-law, John James Doherty, 5 sisters, Peggy Elaine Wilkinson, Patricia June Wilkinson, Mildred Gill, Beverly Hanlon, and Dorothy Smith. A brother-in-law, Wayne Spradlin, and sister-in-law Ann Jones.
SURVIVORS: DAUGHTERS: Shirley Jeffers and her husband Eddie Jeffers of Folsom, and Cindy Kennedy and her husband Brian Kennedy of Des Moines; SONS AND STEP SON: Gregory Jones and his wife Susan Jones of Scottsdale, Arizona, Jeffrey Jones and his wife Moriah Jones of Hoehne, Colorado, and Frederick Jones and his wife Norma Jones of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
GRANDCHILDREN: Patrick Doherty, Matthew Doherty, Zachary and wife Brisenth Doherty, Conner and wife Makayla Doherty, Annie and husband Wally Mitchell, Emily and husband Jeremy Weese, Casey and wife Ashley Kennedy, Brandon Jones and wife Alexandra Iannolo, Stefani Jones, Chastin Jones, Dylan Jones, Jacob Green, Hunter Green, David Jones, and Nancy Jones.
GREATGRANDCHILDREN: Hudson Doherty, Raegan Doherty, Lexi Doherty, John Luke Doherty, Kelly Doherty, McCrae Weese, Jackson Weese, Nathan Kennedy, Grady Kennedy, Kolt Mitchell, Henry Jones, and GraceLynn Jones due in April.
SISTER-IN-LAW & BROTHERS-IN-LAW: Ilene and Ron Taylor, and Mike Jones of Clayton, NM. Numerous nieces and nephews.
