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- Bio: Jimmie LeRoy Jones was born to Howard and Catherine Howell Jones on January 14, 1944 in Portland, Oregon.
- When he was two years old they moved to Nampa, Idaho, then to Indian Valley, Idaho for the sunshine to help Jimmie’s eczema, on to Cambridge, Idaho, and back to Nampa. They lived in remote Rexsburg, Idaho, where there was so much snow in the winter that the mail had to be brought in by airplane.
- The family lived in Vail, Oregon while Jim was in the first grade. Then Walla Walla, where his sister Pamela Sue was born in 1951. On to Pendleton, then to Kennewick for two years - the longest they had stayed in one place up to that time. Finally they landed in Yakima in 1955, where Jim lived until 1967.
- Jim was a great storyteller and retold many adventures he had growing up with his friends and cousins, much of it in Idaho. One of his biggest adventures happened while on a backpacking trip into a primitive area in Idaho when he was 16. His .22 pistol discharged accidentally, hitting him in the leg. With difficulty, they got him out to a road and to a hospital for surgery.
- All through school, Jim’s passion was art. He took every art class offered at Yakima's West Valley High School and became the teacher’s assistant for art classes. He loved working with oils and water colors. Then he discovered wood carving and spent hundreds of hours carving fish, frames for mirrors, boxes and anything that could be made of wood.
- Jim turned his artistic talents to designing and building furniture and cabinets. He opened his business, Jim’s Custom Interiors, first working out of a garage and then into his well-equipped shop.
- While living in Yakima he met up with a young lady going to college in Ellensburg. He didn’t waste a minute, asking her out the first time she came to church. Two years later he married his love, Darlene Owen. They were married for 46 years.
- Their marriage was blessed with three boys. Brent was born in 1970, Jeremy in 1975 and Kris in 1977. He loved his boys passionately.
- Two tragedies struck in the early 80s. First Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1980. Then in 1981, Jeremy drowned while fishing with his dad, a nearly unsurvivable loss.
- During the initial years with Parkinson’s, the disease could be managed. The first major effects of Parkinson’s on his work were the reduction of strength and stamina. Jim could no longer lift sheets of wood to the saw. But that didn’t slow him down. He built a wheeled cart to transport the large pieces of wood from the wood bin to the table saw. Eventually the materials and cabinets were just too heavy to lift. He would work several hours, take a nap and go back to work. He worked longer than anyone would have thought possible. But he loved to work with wood.
- And his art? He kept painting and carving as long as The Disease would allow. Thankfully, his family has many pieces of his artwork to enjoy.
- One of the greatest blessings of his life was his work with the young people in the Apostolic Faith Church. He would spend hours studying and planning lessons to make them interesting and meaningful. But he spent an equal amount of time playing sports, especially volleyball in the gym at Stevens Middle School, hiking, and visiting with the young folks who meant so much to him.
- He loved to fish! His favorite places were the Elwha, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Lake Sutherland. In eastern Washington he and his dad loved bird hunting. He enjoyed camping – especially when it was in a comfy motorhome. Many wonderful times were spent at Crescent Beach and Lyre River campgrounds.
- Jim always had a dog – a big dog, usually a shepherd or a lab. Most of them were named “Lady.”
- Traveling wasn’t high on Jim’s list of things to do. At least he didn’t think so until his family moved to Germany for two years. Being a World War II history buff, he got to visit the sites of many battles and see history up close. He visited 16 countries and took many long walks in Germany. He also enjoyed several visits to Hawaii.
- There’s no sugar coating the difficulties of the last few years with Parkinson’s Disease. It took its toll on Jim’s body and mind. But we remember his hearty laugh and easy smile.
- He stayed with us as long as he possibly could. Now his body and mind are healthy. Can’t you just see him moving and talking freely again? He’s probably already telling stories and making people laugh.
- He’s survived by his wife Darlene; son Brent, daughter-in-law Randi, grandchildren O’Rion, Kirsten and Nikita Jones; son Kris Jones; sister Pamela Hanlin and her husband Bill; brothers and sisters-in-law Dick and Judy Owen, Jim and Sharon Owen; nieces and nephews Jeff Owen, Wendy Yadon, Traci Kinney, Jeff Hanlin and Tricia Spakousky.
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1944 - 2011 (67 år)
