Maurice LeBaron Jones, or “Maury” as he was affectionately known, went home late Saturday night, May 30, 2015. He was 88. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 o’clock this morning (June 5) at the Holbrook Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Michael Ferguson of the Little Colorado Ward, with a visitation one hour prior. The concluding service will follow at the Woodruff Cemetery.
He was born on March 11, 1927, to Dudley LeBaron Jones and Milda Farr.
Maurice grew up in the Binghamton community near Tucson. He attended school there, where he played clarinet in the band, enjoyed Scouts and Primary, and had many good friends.
At age 19 Maurice proudly served his country in the Armed Forces and the National Guard, stationed in Korea. Soon after returning, he looked up a certain young woman by the name of Millie and asked her out. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day and were married a few months later on June 3, 1947, in the Mesa Arizona Temple.
He worked for the U.S. Postal Service in both Tucson and Anaheim, Calif. He later sold cars for a couple of different dealerships in the town of Holbrook for 35 years. People would come from miles around to buy a car from Maury Jones because he was honest and treated them with care. He loved woodworking, fishing, raised some incredible gardens, enjoyed photography and oil painting, and instilled his love of art in some of his children and grandchildren.
He was very active and served faithfully in his church as a stake patriarch and a temple sealer. He was in the Bishopric for seven years, and taught various classes. He saw good in everyone he came in contact with and had many friends.
Survivors include his wife, Helen Millie Nelson; and six of the children, Douglas Wayne Jones of Mesa, Steven Lamar Jones and wife, Marla Ashcroft of Mesa; Debra Lee Jones and husband, Steven Lyle Maxwell of Holbrook; Joseph Dean Jones and wife, Martha Rush of Woodenville, Wash., Robert Leon Jones of Snowflake and Rachael Elizabeth Jones of Holbrook, along with 27 grandchildren, 56 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dudley LeBaron Jones and Milda Farr Jones; and his son, John Allen Jones.
Owens Livingston Mortuary of Holbrook was in charge of the arrangements.
