Kenneth Alvin Jones, 104, died Monday, January 6, 2020 in Hill City, Kansas. He was born September 19, 1915, at the family home and homestead in Rural Graham County. He was the third of thirteen children, born to Schuyler and Mary (Cannon) Jones.
His family arrived in this area with the original pioneers. In addition to their farm, the family ran a blacksmith shop that served the area for many years. Working with horses and mules, it was his responsibility to have them ready to go to the field in the mornings and then to feed and take care of them upon their return at the end of the day. A bad knee from an incident when he was 10, was a sharp reminder of a stubborn mule kicking him, splitting his knee wide open.
Kenneth graduated from Bogue High School in 1937 and began working with the highway department. His first job experiences again involved a team of mules, but by the end of his first year, he was operating a huge new diesel-powered grader.
World War II brought many changes in Kenneth’s life. He married his hometown sweetheart Dorothy Delaney in 1942. Shortly afterwards he was inducted into the United States Army, serving in the Army Air Corps. His journey started in Illinois, then on to Camp Livingston, Louisiana for training. He was shipped out to North Africa and then to Italy a month before Germany surrendered. His next duty was with the occupation forces in Manilla, the capital of the Philippine Islands, a few months before the surrender of Japan. Through it all, Kenneth saw parts of the world he probably hadn’t even dreamed of. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and returned home to the farm.
Kenneth and Dorothy raised ten children together. They worked hard for the family. Dorothy not only tended to the children, she worked in a café kitchen and later at the Phillipsburg Hospital in the housekeeping department. In 1967 Kenneth moved on to a new occupation with Bear Brands Manufacturing, now known as Tamko Products, Inc. He held that job for 13 years. Since retirement didn’t suit him, he was soon operating his own gardening business, regularly caring for as many as 35 yards. This was all accomplished with manpower and an old push lawn mower. Imagine how happy he was the day he turned the switch on that new riding mower!
Kenneth was baptized March 27, 1982 at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall in Russell, Kansas.
Sadly, Dorothy succumbed to cancer in 1990. Three years later, Kenneth married Ruth Whitney and retired from his yard care enterprise. Then both kept busy volunteering at the Phillipsburg Community Senior Center. They continued these activities until their health no longer permitted.
Kenneth is preceded in death by his first wife, Dorothy; four sisters: Helen Dabney, Alta Berry, Letha McGiver, Elizabeth Williams; two brothers: Lawrence Jones and Freeman Jones; one grandson: Kerry Jones.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife Ruth, Hill City; four sisters; Margaret Price, Denver, Colorado, Rosa Stokes, Hill City, Justina Johnson, Houston, Texas, Ethel Johnson, Kansas City, Missouri, Shirley Ryines, Colorado Springs, Colorado; one brother, Francis Jones, Hill City; daughters: Lois Clark (Terry, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Ava Bates (Bernard, Hill City; sons: Kenneth Jones, Jr., Denver, Colorado, Lloyd Jones (Billie, Wichita, Loren Jones (Kim, Redding, California, Larry Jones, Hill City, Ronald Jones (Jeanette, Wichita, Kevin Jones (Lisa, Fredericksburg, Virginia; 27 grandchildren; many great grandchildren and many great-great grandchildren.
Today we say not “goodbye” but “till we meet again” to a man that lived through an amazing number of changes in his 104 years. Some of which were: Prohibition, the Depression, WWII, man walking on the moon, microwaves and computers, horse-drawn farm equipment to no-till farming and 18 U.S. Presidents.
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