Remembering my uncle - Martin Frank Jones (1926-2022)

 

Obituary of Martin Frank Jones

 Martin Frank Jones, 96, of Abilene, Texas, passed away on November 27, 2022 in Abilene, Texas. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, with Dr. Jeff Reid and Dr. John Whitten officiating. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 pm at Crowell Cemetery in Crowell, Texas with Dr. Travis Craver officiating. The family will receive friends at Hamil Family Funeral Home at 9:00 am Thursday, prior to the 10:00 am service.

 Martin was born in Thalia, Texas to Ava Ella McNair Jones and Joe Carroll (J.C.) Jones on February 25, 1926. He graduated from Thalia Consolidated High School in 1943. As an eighteen year old, he enlisted to serve his country in World War II with Company “L” 330th Regiment of the 83rd Division Army Infantry. His first day of combat was on his 19th birthday in February of 1945. He served 17 months, finishing out his tour with the Army of Occupation in Germany. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, along with Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Army of Occupation Medal, World War ll Victory Medal, two Overseas Service Bars and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.

 After the war, he met and married the love of his life, Xena Yvonne McClain, on March 8, 1947 in Crowell Texas. He worked throughout the years as a Gulf distributor, bookkeeper, groceryman and loved spending time working on his farm in Foard County. He was a master yard man and always had the best lawn on the block. Martin was a man who was known for his love of the Lord and commitment to his family. He worshiped and served as a deacon in First Baptist Crowell, First Baptist Hale Center and Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene.

 Martin was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Vonne; parents, J.C. and Ava Jones; and four sisters, Jo Jones, Carolita Quillin, Doris Jackson, and Faye Lynch.

Martin is survived by his three daughters, Deborah Wilder and her husband Ken of San Antonio, Carolyn Abbott of Abilene and Angie Wiley and her husband Rob of Abilene. He was dearly loved by his grandchildren, Amy Fox, Molly Fox, Laura Doughty, Luke Abbott, Kristen Martinez, Marcus Wiley and Elizabeth Wiley. He was able to touch the lives of six great-grandkids, Hayden, Rossi, Easton, Wiley, Logan and Mila. He was also a beloved uncle to numerous nieces and nephews.

 Serving as Pall Bearers will be Luke Abbott, Marcus Wiley, Tyler Doughty, P.J. Martinez, Hayden Lara and Travis Craver.

 Memorials may be given to Hendrick Hospice in Abilene

 The family of Martin Jones wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the loving caregivers at Windcrest units 2 & 4, dedicated hospice nurses and doctors at Hendrick Hospice, and the caring members of Visiting Angels for the excellent care and love they showed to Martin.

Framing My World - 10

 Nature Lover

I love being outdoors and am nourished by nature. I enjoy hiking to places I feel no one has been before. It’s primitive and a way to reconnect with myself. I turn to nature for peace and tranquility. I'm compassionate for everything in the natural world. I love animals, especially dogs. I’ve never been without one.

Family History

I’m a true American at heart, born and raised in rural America. I feel allegiance to this great nation and our founding fathers’ wisdom presented in the Constitution. My family has been on American soil long before it became a nation. I’m profoundly connected to my roots, honored to have descended through people who sacrificed much to build a nation where others throughout the world long to live. We are part of that history. It is through their hard work and sacrifices that I arrived at where I am today. I pay homage to my ancestors through genealogy.

Wide Open Spaces

 In my last post, I talked about growing up in the small town of Vernon, Texas. The Dixie Chicks sang a song titled "Wide Open Spaces." This was popular the year that I lost Daddy, 1998. I know how much Mother and Daddy loved me. I remember the day clearly that they drove off and left me at college, but they gave me a strong foundation....in the place that I came from which was in THE WIDE-OPEN SPACES.

WIDE OPEN SPACES

written by Susan Gibson

sung by The Dixie Chicks

Who doesn't know what I'm talking about?

Who's never left home? Who's never struck out?

To find a dream and a life of their own

A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone

Many precede and many will follow

A young girl's dreams no longer hollow

It takes the shape of a place out West

But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed

She needs wide open spaces

Room to make her big mistakes

She needs new faces

She knows the high stakes

She traveled this road as a child

Wide-eyed and grinning, she never tired

But now she won't be coming back with the rest

If these are life's lessons, she'll take this test

She needs wide open spaces

Room to make her big mistakes

She needs new faces

She knows the high stakes

She knows the high stakes

And as her folks drive away, her dad yells, "Check the oil!"

Mom stares out the window and says, "I'm leavin' my girl"

She said, "It didn't seem like that long ago"

When she stood there and let her own folks know

She needed wide open spaces

Room to make her big mistakes

She needs new faces

She knows the high stakes

She knows the highest stakes

She knows the highest stakes (wide open spaces)

She knows the highest stakes

She knows the highest stakes (wide open spaces)

Growing Up In Small Town America Part 7

 WIDE OPEN SPACES

I grew up in Wilbarger County which was organized as a county in 1881 which was only 75 years before I was born there. This western history impacted my formative years because I was raised in a progressive small community which was filled with its own, fairly current, rich history. It became a part of who I am. My great- grandparents were born in the late 1870s and 1880s and my grandparents were born in very early 1900s; most all of them were born in the early stages of Texas’s development. Most of the Texas counties to the west of Vernon were not even formed. The railroad came through in 1886 and much of our existence still revolved around the train in the 50s. Vernon was also on the historic Western Trail at Doan’s Crossing. Still today, Doan’s is celebrated each year with a Doan’s Crossing Picnic. In the early 1960s, Paula and Bryan were selected to participate in this historic event. Paula was a princess (I have some adorable pictures of her) and Bryan was part of a square dancing group that performed. Quanah Parker and the Comanche Indians were common place in our dialogue. The first newspaper was published in 1889, and in a little over 50 years my daddy would own that newspaper. Cattle, sheep, hogs were important to the economy, but when ranchers suffered losses in the 1890s, crop farming became well established in the area, including corn, wheat, oats, and eventually cotton. Cotton became king in the 1920s during the Great Depression, a time that my parents grew up in.  Cotton remained significant, but the oil industry increased and helped offset the losses.

My Pappy, J.C.Jones (Mother’s daddy) grew wheat and cotton, and also hogs. He was a Christian man, a lay minister and a deacon. He was named Conservation Farmer the year before he died.

Framing My World - 9

 Organized

I appreciate order and organization. I’m detail oriented and want things to run smoothly. There’s always more to organize; it’s never ending. I keep lists and try to file properly so I can find things because I hate to reinvent the wheel.

It drives me nuts trying to organize things in my home. Though I’m not a hoarder, I find it difficult to let go of things that I treasure. Derek and I travelled the world and have things from across the globe.  I’m connected to family heirlooms or items that were given to me by someone special, or something that reminds me of a special time.

Homebody

I’m a homebody. It’s where I find peace and comfort. Mother always said there was such a peace within my home. There’s a lot of love here. We communicate well. Derek and I are on the same page. On one of Mother’s trips to the coast, she brought me back a statuette of two gulls flying in tandem. She said that it reminded her of how Derek and I live.

Framing My World - 8

 Fair

I believe in fair-play. Though I was often reminded by Mother “there are no signs over the door that read ‘life is fair’” …I expect others to carry their weight. I have worked hard for what I have. I want others to do the same. I believe in helping people by being a good listener, caring for them emotionally and helping them to find direction. I’m not big on hand-outs, as I’ve never expected anyone to give me things, except Derek J and he gives me everything.

I believe in giving credit where credit is due. If I’m given credit for something that should be directed elsewhere, I go the extra mile to clarify our different roles in receiving that credit. “Credit where credit is due.”

Hard Worker

I’m a worker bee, don’t like the stress of being in charge, I trust my faith that God will lead me to follow the right people. I’m dependable, know my limitations, won’t commit if I don’t feel that I can get the job done. If I do commit, I persevere; follow through with my word of promise to get something done. Any job worth doing is worth doing well. If I give my word, I don’t renege. I do things to the best of my abilities, which means I perseverate because I don’t want to make a mistake, leaving no stone unturned. I’m a perfectionist; I take care of my belongings and they last me a long time; I like things done a certain way. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Framing My World - 7

Realist

I think logically, like Mother. She often told me that I have a good head on my shoulders. It’s hard to tolerate people with no common sense. Mother said that people can see through me because I can’t hide my feelings and my face often reveals it all; therefore, I guess I’m predictable. Or maybe she just knew me too well. 

What you see is what you get. I’m down to earth. People know what they can expect from me. 

I try to keep things real. I’m not full of foo-foo and fluff.

Friendships/I Keep My Distance/Guarded

I’m observant and emotionally intuitive, naturally introverted, I’m selective about what people know about me (of course, I spill my guts out to Derek about everything). I value security, mainly in family and close friends. I put every effort into understanding their needs and incorporating that into my need for clarity. Without communication, though, that is difficult.

What you see is what you get, avoid being two faced. It’s hard to be around moody people.

Mother taught me if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

I will not push myself on others. I don’t like liars and can’t tolerate people who mess with my mind. I’m totally out of there for that.