William Melvin Jones

William Melvin Jones, son of the late William Thomas and Maye Lillian (Clark) Jones, was born November 25, 1927, in the Dykes community, north of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and passed away November 11, 2017, at Hartville Care Center in Hartville, Missouri. He was 89 years, 11 months, and 17 days of age.

Bill was raised on the family farm until they moved to Maple Street in Mountain Grove. He greatly enjoyed playing football and baseball. He graduated from Mountain Grove High School with the class of 1945. Bill was drafted into the Army in 1945 and was honorably discharged in May, 1947, as a Technician Fifth Grade Headquarters Battery 98 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group.

His parents purchased Gambles Hardware on the corner of the square in Mountain Grove, where he was store manager. In 1953, Bill married Esther Marie Talbot and four children were born to this union.

Bill did electrical work after hours and on weekends on houses being remodeled, new houses, dairy barns, and commercial wiring. He was very particular and proud of his work.

He loved deer hunting, frogging, and watching football and baseball. All through the 1950’s and 60’s he walked the sidelines supporting the Panthers, rarely missing a game.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by wife, Esther Jones of Mountain Grove, two sons, William Ray Jones and his wife, Pam, of Mountain Grove, and Tommy Jones and his wife, Theresa, of Marshall, Texas, two daughters, Susie (Jones) Campbell and her husband, Ralph, of Mountain Grove, and Nancy (Jones) Worden and her husband, Harvey, of Marshfield, Missouri, nine grandchildren, Matthew Jones and his wife, Amber, Mitchell Jones, Lindsay (Campbell) Williams and her husband, Bryan, Dereck Campbell and his wife, Danielle, Jessica Worden, Brian Worden and his wife, Linsey, Nicholas Jones, Christopher Jones and his wife, Summer, and Katelyn Jones, seven great-grandchildren, William Jones, Forrest Jones, Addison Williams, Isabelle Williams, Tristan Worden, Briley Worden, and Harper Campbell, one sister, Josephine (Jones) Fleetwood of Osceola, Missouri, and many nieces, nephews, and other family and friends who will miss him very much.