Robert Gordon Jones

1935 - 2018

Robert Gordon Jones

Bellevue & Battle Creek - Robert Gordon Jones, died Thursday, April 19 at his home near Ewing, MO. He was born August 1, 1935 in Quincy, Illinois to the late Henry Edward Jones and Marjorie Louise (Brown) Jones. The family moved to Battle Creek when he was a youngster.

He attended Urbandale School and graduated from Battle Creek Central in 1953. In 1954, he married Nancy Harrison at the Ceresco Baptist Church. They lived in Missouri for a period of time, where their oldest daughter was born. Upon returning to Battle Creek, he worked in the pressman's trade in Battle Creek print shops and in the press room at the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Their other 3 children were born while they were living in the Bedford area. In 1965 they moved to a farm near Bellevue. In 1968 he continued being a journeyman pressman and became the publisher of the Bellevue Gazette. He was also a Volunteer firefighter for the Bellevue Community Fire Department.

He continued his love of farming while carrying his trade of pressman. Raising crops, making sorghum and always finding time to fish, hunt, and make his annual trip to the Upper Peninsula for bear hunting. A tradition that started in the 1950's with his father and he carried on to share with his son.

After relocating to Missouri he continued work as a pressman, retired from J.K. Creative in Quincy, Illinois. It was time to farm some more, raise cattle, hunt and fish.

He is survived by his wife Emily; his daughters Debra Jo McDaniel of Crystal Beach, FL. and Donna Postma of Aiken, SC; his son, Alan Lee ( Lisa) Jones of Newton, KS. Also surviving is his grandson Tony Smitherman of Morristown, TN; 2 granddaughters, Kyra Postma of Aiken, SC and Leigh M. Jones of Newton, Kansas. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Nancy (Nan) Jones of Bellevue. He is survived by his sister Betty Lou (Roger) Bishop of Ewing, 3 stepsons and their families and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter Denise Ann (Jones) Ratliff.

Services were held at Lewis Brother Funeral Chapel in Palmyra, Missouri on Wednesday, April 25th, with burial to follow at Providence Presbyterian Church cemetery, near Benbow. The cemetery adjoins the centennial farm, from his maternal family, which he has resided on the past several years.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Bellevue Community Fire Department.