Claude R. Jones Sr., 77, of Harrison, died Thursday, Feb. 10 (2011) at Skaggs Hospital, Branson, Mo. He was born July 22, 1933, the second son of Stephen Decatur Jones Sr. and Millie Hopper in Alpena.
Named for Senator Claude Fuller and Raymond Anderson, he developed an ethic of hard work and dedication to others. Throughout his youth, he was active in the Alpena community, graduating fourth in his class from Alpena High School. He was a delegate to Boy's State in 1949 and was also named Outstanding 4-H boy for Boone County.
He attended the University of Arkansas, earning a degree in agriculture in 1954. He worked his way through college, taking whatever work he could to pay his way. During his four years at the university, he collected laundry for Razorback Cleaners, operated a snack bar, helped in the construction of Harrison Junior High, worked one summer for Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, Kan. and worked the rice farms with his brother-in-law, William Sumner, in the Carlisle-Lewisville area. He also served the students of the campus as vice president of Gregson Hall and as a Senator for the School of Agriculture in the Student Senate 1953-1954.
After graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force on July 17, 1954. While waiting for active duty, he taught 4th-6th grade at Osage. While teaching in Osage, he met his future wife Ruth Jerryne Curnutt. They were married March 8, 1956.
On April 13, 1955, he reported for active duty in San Antonio, Texas. This posting was followed by others at Suffolk County, N.Y.; Itazuke, Japan; and Langley, Va. While stationed at Langley, he received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the Cuban Missile Crisis. He and his wife also celebrated the birth of a daughter, Claudia, in 1963, and a son, Claude Jr, in 1965 while stationed in Virginia.
He was then sent to the Squadron Officer School in Montgomery, Ala., and was named Outstanding Graduate. After this, he was named Squadron Training Commander and Teach officer for the Air Training Command in Denver, Colo. He taught on the F-106 and helped to develop future training concepts for the Air Force 20 years in the future. After his duty in Colorado, he was stationed in Kunsan, Korea, before returning state side to command an Avionics Maintenance Squadron in Mountain Home, Idaho.
He retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel in 1975. During his 20-year military career, he was a maintenance officer on almost all of the fighter jets in the Air Force inventory, including the F-86, F-100, F-102, F-106, F-4, and F-111.
After retiring, Claude returned with his family back to Arkansas. Once again attending the University of Arkansas, he received his JD law degree in 1978. He then embarked on his second career as an attorney, setting up practice in Harrison in 1980. From 1980, until his death, he specialized in bankruptcies, even having one of his cases argued before the United States Supreme Court. He was active in the Boone County Democratic Party, running for municipal judge in 1982. He also served as an officer in the Boone County Bar Association, as well as being a member of the Retired Military Officers Association. Both he and his wife were members of the United Methodist Church in Harrison.
He was preceded in death by parents; first wife, Ruth Jerryne Jones; sister, Rosanna Sumner; and brother, Stephen D. Jones, Jr.
He is survived by his second wife, Lona Grant Jones of Harrison; daughter, Claudia Jones of Fayetteville; son, Claude Jones Jr. of Fayetteville; brother, Wendell Oren Jones of Las Vegas, Nev.; 10 nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at Holt Memorial Chapel. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at First United Methodist Church, Harrison. Graveside services will follow at the Alpena Cemetery.
Memorials can be sent to Alpena High School, 300a South Denver, Alpena, Ark. 72611 or to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, 335 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017.
Claude R. Jones Sr., 77, of Harrison, died Thursday, Feb. 10 (2011) at Skaggs Hospital, Branson, Mo. He was born July 22, 1933, the second son of Stephen Decatur Jones Sr. and Millie Hopper in Alpena.
Named for Senator Claude Fuller and Raymond Anderson, he developed an ethic of hard work and dedication to others. Throughout his youth, he was active in the Alpena community, graduating fourth in his class from Alpena High School. He was a delegate to Boy's State in 1949 and was also named Outstanding 4-H boy for Boone County.
He attended the University of Arkansas, earning a degree in agriculture in 1954. He worked his way through college, taking whatever work he could to pay his way. During his four years at the university, he collected laundry for Razorback Cleaners, operated a snack bar, helped in the construction of Harrison Junior High, worked one summer for Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, Kan. and worked the rice farms with his brother-in-law, William Sumner, in the Carlisle-Lewisville area. He also served the students of the campus as vice president of Gregson Hall and as a Senator for the School of Agriculture in the Student Senate 1953-1954.
After graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force on July 17, 1954. While waiting for active duty, he taught 4th-6th grade at Osage. While teaching in Osage, he met his future wife Ruth Jerryne Curnutt. They were married March 8, 1956.
On April 13, 1955, he reported for active duty in San Antonio, Texas. This posting was followed by others at Suffolk County, N.Y.; Itazuke, Japan; and Langley, Va. While stationed at Langley, he received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the Cuban Missile Crisis. He and his wife also celebrated the birth of a daughter, Claudia, in 1963, and a son, Claude Jr, in 1965 while stationed in Virginia.
He was then sent to the Squadron Officer School in Montgomery, Ala., and was named Outstanding Graduate. After this, he was named Squadron Training Commander and Teach officer for the Air Training Command in Denver, Colo. He taught on the F-106 and helped to develop future training concepts for the Air Force 20 years in the future. After his duty in Colorado, he was stationed in Kunsan, Korea, before returning state side to command an Avionics Maintenance Squadron in Mountain Home, Idaho.
He retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel in 1975. During his 20-year military career, he was a maintenance officer on almost all of the fighter jets in the Air Force inventory, including the F-86, F-100, F-102, F-106, F-4, and F-111.
After retiring, Claude returned with his family back to Arkansas. Once again attending the University of Arkansas, he received his JD law degree in 1978. He then embarked on his second career as an attorney, setting up practice in Harrison in 1980. From 1980, until his death, he specialized in bankruptcies, even having one of his cases argued before the United States Supreme Court. He was active in the Boone County Democratic Party, running for municipal judge in 1982. He also served as an officer in the Boone County Bar Association, as well as being a member of the Retired Military Officers Association. Both he and his wife were members of the United Methodist Church in Harrison.
He was preceded in death by parents; first wife, Ruth Jerryne Jones; sister, Rosanna Sumner; and brother, Stephen D. Jones, Jr.
He is survived by his second wife, Lona Grant Jones of Harrison; daughter, Claudia Jones of Fayetteville; son, Claude Jones Jr. of Fayetteville; brother, Wendell Oren Jones of Las Vegas, Nev.; 10 nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at Holt Memorial Chapel. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at First United Methodist Church, Harrison. Graveside services will follow at the Alpena Cemetery.
Memorials can be sent to Alpena High School, 300a South Denver, Alpena, Ark. 72611 or to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, 335 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017.
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