William Tanner Jones

WILLIAM TANNER JONES August 16, 1919 ~ December 13, 2008 After a very full and wonderful life, Bill Jones, loving husband, devoted father and caring friend peacefully went home to the Lord at his residence in Hemet at the age of 89. Bill, born in Eastland Texas, son of the late Cecil and Pearl Jones, spent most of this childhood in the Texas panhandle enduring the economic challenges of the Great Depression and harshness of the Dust Bowl. Bill moved to Riverside in 1954 and then moved to Hemet in 1978 where he lived for the past 30 years. Bill was a cadet at Texas A & M University from 1938 to 1942, where was on the university's boxing team. After graduating from A & M, he proudly served in the US Army during World War II as a first lieutenant and was in charge of convoys on the Burma Road taking war supplies to China. On a field trip to Southern California as a junior in college, Bill met his bride of 65 years, Frances, while on a boat to Catalina. Bill and Fran were married three years later in Los Angeles. After owning and running an ice cream shop in Eagle Rock and stents as a farmer in Texas, Bill founded Musi-Cal, a sound system contracting and business music service, in Riverside in 1954, and passed the company on to his son, Steve in 1978. Bill served his community as a member of Riverside Rotary Club. He was an enthusiastic and avid supporter of the Texas A &M Aggie football team and tried to never to miss a Southern California Aggie Muster. Through his life Bill enjoyed off-road motorcycling, camping, RVing, traveling and, most of all, spending time with his family. Bill was the consummate Texas gentleman and was never at a loss for wise words and support for his family and friends. William was preceded in death by his sister Charlie Marie Olsen. Bill was loved and will be greatly missed by his wife Frances, his children, Stephen and his wife Marla, Kathleen and her husband Larry, Laura and her husband Brad, Nancy and her husband Pat, twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren. A visitation is planned for Bill and his family at Miller-Jones Mortuary in Hemet from 10-Noon on December 29th to be followed by a graveside service at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, at 1:00 PM at Staging Area #5. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Bill's name to Texas A & M Scholarship Foundation (http://giving.tamu.edu/howtogive) or Ramona Hospice in Hemet, CA, 890 W. Stetson Ave., Ste A, Hemet, CA 92543.