Ray A. Jones, 82, of rural Girard, passed away at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, near his residence. He left this Earth doing what he loved best, combining the fall harvest.
Ray was born Feb. 16, 1942, in Pittsburg, a son of Ora A. and Mayme (Tersinar) Jones. He attended Beulah Grade School and graduated from Crawford County High School in Cherokee.
Ray married Sharon E. Brooks on Nov. 5, 1966, in the Beulah Community Church in Beulah. Sharon survives of the home.
Ray was a lifelong farmer at rural Girard.
He enjoyed his family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, working on the farm, and going out with Sharon and his family for chicken dinners.
Ray and Lennie Westervelt started the Cherokee Rural Fire Department and Ray served on the Board of Directors for the rural water district and the coop.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, Sharon, of the home, are his children, Kevin R. Jones, and his wife, Terri, of rural Pittsburg and Shelley L. DeBusk, and her husband, K.J., of rural Girard. His grandchildren, Zach DeBusk, and his wife, Rachel, Jake Jones, and his wife, Mandy, Austin DeBusk, and his wife, Shalina, and Hannah Jones, and her fiancé, Clay Newberry. His great-grandchildren, Ellie, Levi, Luke, and Baby DeBusk, due in February, and Marlee Jones.
Ray was preceded in death by his twin brother, Roy A. Jones, his sisters, Donna K. Brown, and her husband, Max, Mary Ann Fowler, and her husband, Morris, and an infant sister, Ada Lee Jones.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Girard with Pastor Rick Prideaux officiating. Burial will be in the Girard Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m., Sunday at the funeral home where friends may call after 2 p.m., Sunday.
In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, and these may be left at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W St. John, Box 258, Girard, 66743.
Condolences may be sent to wallfuneralservices.com.
