Richard Alan Jones
September 22, 1940 — August 19, 2021
Richard Alan Jones, son of Everett and Mary (Torneten) Jones, was born on September 22, 1940 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and attended Oak Street and Hoover School all in Council Bluffs. He then attended Abraham Lincoln High School and graduated with the class of 1958.
Richard was married to Patricia Trafton in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Five children were born to this union: Deborah, DeAnne, Mary Beth, Richard and Michael.
In 1958, Richard attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for a year then went to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska until 1962. He graduated from Indiana College of Mortuary of Science in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1963. He became a licensed funeral director in the state of Iowa in 1965 and in the state of Nebraska in 1968. He started his funeral career in Council Bluffs, then moved his family to Harlan, Iowa where he worked at Pauley Funeral Home. In 1975, he purchased the funeral home from Clay Pauley. In 2003, he partnered with his son Michael and added the Jones name to become the Pauley Jones Funeral Home and that same year purchased the Knutson Funeral Home in Avoca, Iowa. He retired in 2016.
Richard was united in marriage to Christine Tech in September of 1990 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He gained three more children through their marriage: Mark, Randy, and Teresa.
Richard was very involved in his community and earned many achievements throughout his lifetime. In 1968, he was President of the Council Bluffs Jaycees and was awarded the Outstanding Man of the Year in Council Bluffs and later for the state of Iowa in 1970. He was granted a Rotary Scholarship in 1971, which landed him in Australia for 6 months. He served on many boards including the Shelby County Health Foundation, the policy board of National Funeral Directors Association, and for the WWII National Monument Committee in Washington D.C. He served as president for Kiwanis, Harlan Area Chamber, and Iowa Funeral Directors Association. In 2000, he was named Harlan Citizen of the Year.
Richard had many loves in his life, including Iowa Hawkeyes Sports, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, his sports cars, his dogs Gunnar and Walker, and of course time spent mowing his yard. He and Christine enjoyed taking trips with their funeral director friends. Together they also spent many evenings playing cards with friends or entertaining at their home for dinner parties. His love for people was second to none but most of all he loved his family and was always proud of each and everyone of them.
He died on Thursday, August 19, 2021 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, attaining the age of eighty years, ten months, and twenty-eight days. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Rick Jones, great granddaughter Rayna Lindberg, siblings Lynn Jones and Jeanie Olson.
He is survived by his wife Christine Jones of Harlan, Iowa; children: Deb (Rowly) Burton of Irwin, Iowa; Dede (Craig) Kroger of Harlan, Iowa; Beth (Scott) Andersen of Ankeny, Iowa; Betts Jones of Harlan; Michael (Anna) Jones of Harlan; Mark (Kathy) Tech of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Randy (Mary) Tech of Council Bluffs; Teresa Tech of Omaha, Nebraska; 23 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; sister Marilyn (Joe) Leggio of Council Bluffs; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.
Richard was married to Patricia Trafton in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Five children were born to this union: Deborah, DeAnne, Mary Beth, Richard and Michael.
In 1958, Richard attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for a year then went to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska until 1962. He graduated from Indiana College of Mortuary of Science in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1963. He became a licensed funeral director in the state of Iowa in 1965 and in the state of Nebraska in 1968. He started his funeral career in Council Bluffs, then moved his family to Harlan, Iowa where he worked at Pauley Funeral Home. In 1975, he purchased the funeral home from Clay Pauley. In 2003, he partnered with his son Michael and added the Jones name to become the Pauley Jones Funeral Home and that same year purchased the Knutson Funeral Home in Avoca, Iowa. He retired in 2016.
Richard was united in marriage to Christine Tech in September of 1990 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He gained three more children through their marriage: Mark, Randy, and Teresa.
Richard was very involved in his community and earned many achievements throughout his lifetime. In 1968, he was President of the Council Bluffs Jaycees and was awarded the Outstanding Man of the Year in Council Bluffs and later for the state of Iowa in 1970. He was granted a Rotary Scholarship in 1971, which landed him in Australia for 6 months. He served on many boards including the Shelby County Health Foundation, the policy board of National Funeral Directors Association, and for the WWII National Monument Committee in Washington D.C. He served as president for Kiwanis, Harlan Area Chamber, and Iowa Funeral Directors Association. In 2000, he was named Harlan Citizen of the Year.
Richard had many loves in his life, including Iowa Hawkeyes Sports, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, his sports cars, his dogs Gunnar and Walker, and of course time spent mowing his yard. He and Christine enjoyed taking trips with their funeral director friends. Together they also spent many evenings playing cards with friends or entertaining at their home for dinner parties. His love for people was second to none but most of all he loved his family and was always proud of each and everyone of them.
He died on Thursday, August 19, 2021 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, attaining the age of eighty years, ten months, and twenty-eight days. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Rick Jones, great granddaughter Rayna Lindberg, siblings Lynn Jones and Jeanie Olson.
He is survived by his wife Christine Jones of Harlan, Iowa; children: Deb (Rowly) Burton of Irwin, Iowa; Dede (Craig) Kroger of Harlan, Iowa; Beth (Scott) Andersen of Ankeny, Iowa; Betts Jones of Harlan; Michael (Anna) Jones of Harlan; Mark (Kathy) Tech of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Randy (Mary) Tech of Council Bluffs; Teresa Tech of Omaha, Nebraska; 23 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; sister Marilyn (Joe) Leggio of Council Bluffs; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.
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