George Asa Jones

George Asa Jones

San Angelo

George Asa Jones, 96, of San Angelo, Texas, passed away Jan. 2, 2016.

He was born in San Antonio, Texas, on August 25, 1919. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1940 with a BS degree is agricultural administration, and was then commissioned as Lt. in the U.S. Army Cavalry.

He married Nanette Leeman Todd on Feb. 11, 1943, in Fort Riley, Kansas.

George Asa grew up ranching on the east end of what is today Big Bend National Park and in Arizona on the Double Circles Cattle Co. It has been said, "he learned the art of ranching from pioneers who thrived on challenge, with no luxuries and precious few necessities and he grew into manhood in the wonderful world of the west that made for good story telling". While at A&M he was a member of the Corp of Cadets and Captain of the A&M Polo team. During WWII he served as Horse Cavalry Unit Commander in Northern Africa and Central Europe where he was instrumental in liberating and protecting the Lipizzaner stallions. He earned the rank of Major. Following WWII, he began ranching in Brewster County. He ranched in West Texas and Missouri until the drought of the '50s forced him to take a job in the Peruvian Andes. From there the family went to the Venezuelan jungles near Angel Falls. In 1955, they were able to return to West Texas where he had a cow/calf operation for 43 years. In the late '60s he expanded to Deming, New Mexico, where he also operated the Deming Livestock Auction. Riding a good horse behind a good cow made him happiest. Asa was a member of Texas Farm Bureau, Board of Directors of Marfa Production Credit Union, Deming Old Timers Association, Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers, Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers and New Mexico Cattleman's Association. A member of First United Methodist Church of Deming, his life church was Bloys Camp Meeting in the Davis Mountains where he served as the president of the Means Evans Camp.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Asa A. and Elsie Elizabeth Jones; his wife, Nancy Todd Jones; his daughter, Deborah Lee Jones; and his sister, Helen Stone.

He is survived by Ross D. Jones and wife Marti of Fort Stockton, Texas, and daughter Molly J. Walker and husband John of San Angelo, Texas. Grandchildren include Anna Haney, Ross W. Jones, Amy Wittenbach and William "Matt" Allison. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Interment of the ashes of George Asa and Nancy Jones will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Eastside Cemetery, Fort Stockton, Texas, with a memorial service at 11:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1600 W. 5th Street, Fort Stockton, Texas.

The family thanks Merle Quellar and staff at Bee Hive Homes, Shannon Medical Center and Regency House for their kind and loving care of Asa.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Bloys Camp Meeting Association, Fort Davis, Texas, or to the Deborah Lee Jones Memorial Library, First United Methodist Church, Fort Stockton, Texas.

Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at johnsons-funeralhome.com.