John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones, born April 25, 1931, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2026, in the presence of loved ones in the home of his daughter Tricia where he had lived since 2019. His son, John, had the honor of holding his hand as he passed into the arms of his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

John Paul was an encouragement to all who had the privilege of knowing him. He had an infectious and beautiful smile which he shared with everyone who came his way. His faith, and faithfulness in living it, motivated him to put on a good face even if he didn't really feel very well. He was an example to us all.

John Paul was preceded in death by Barbra, his beloved wife of almost 65 years, his brother Don, and sisters Marilyn, who died in infancy, Charlene Steele, and Sharon Miller.

He is survived by his brother Bob and wife Marion, his sister-in-law Bonnie, and his children, Sherri Woods, Tricia Irwin (Tom), and John David (Lorna). He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Rebecca Hartman (Mike), Katherine Miller (Eddie), David (Meghan), Jonathan (Nina), Stephen (Meghan), Joanna, and Nathaniel; and 9 great grandchildren: Alex, Kiersten, Shannon, Hazel, Hans, Mackenzie, Carter, Noah, and Jacob, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

John Paul was born in Cherryvale, Kansas, the eldest of Charlie and Ethel Jones' six children. He grew up with a love of the outdoors that characterized him all his life. He spent time working in the family's garden plots and caring for their chickens. He had a paper route and racked up many miles delivering the news on his bicycle. He was a skilled marksman and loved to hunt small game with friends in the rural SE Kansas area where he grew up.

Following high school, John Paul spent a year in junior college before enlisting in the Air Force. During his time in the service, John Paul married his high school sweetheart Barbra Clark on April 17, 1953. They began their married life at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler, Arizona, where their two daughters, Sherri and Tricia, were born.

Upon discharge in 1956, John Paul moved with his wife and daughters to Wichita, Kansas, where he put his knowledge of airplane mechanics to use working for both Boeing and Cessna. After being laid off at Boeing, John Paul discerned that God was leading him to further his education at Kansas State University where he completed a degree in electrical engineering in 1962. After graduating, John Paul went to work for Phillips Petroleum in La Junta, Colorado, where he and Barbra welcomed their third and final child, John David. For the next 24 years, John Paul traveled the roads from Borger, Texas, to Douglas, Wyoming, as a pipeline engineer, skillfully fixing anything and everything with his extensive hands-on knowledge of systems and machines.

John Paul enjoyed many hobbies. Among them were woodworking, hunting, fishing, and playing golf. He loved learning about many kinds of things and listening to all kinds of music, particularly instrumental. And when not actively listening to music, he was often whistling it to the orchestral accompaniment in his mind. But while he enjoyed all these things, he dearly loved his family and sought to share with them his love of the outdoors and science and to ground them in the ways of the Lord. He loved traveling with them and was known for his many detours to enjoy special places he found along the way.

But John Paul's first love was the Lord Jesus Christ. After much spiritual struggle as a child and young adult, God clearly spoke to him from John 3:16 that the words "whosoever believeth in Him" found in that verse also included him, and he found peace and rest in a relationship with Jesus.

John Paul loved serving his church and served them well in many capacities for fifty-five years. He was a caring deacon, a skilled repairman, and a keen-eared sound man who strove for excellence in every endeavor. He was an avid reader of many Christian books and loved to listen to Chuck Missler Bible studies, which he generously shared with others.

Following the homegoing of his beloved wife, John Paul found a new home in Katy, Texas, with his daughter Tricia and her husband Tom. It was a joy for him to get to spend time with grandchildren and great grandchildren, which had previously been limited due to distance. He also found a new church family at River Bend Baptist Church, where he was welcomed and deeply loved and cherished. And he found new friends in the neighborhood who looked forward to seeing him out and about on his many walks.

A few months before his passing, John Paul developed some new and debilitating health conditions. After persevering bravely with his trademark smile, John Paul's health issues began to get the upper hand, and he passed into his eternal home in the presence of his loving family.

It can be said of John Paul as the apostle Paul said of himself, "I have fought the fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith." Yes, you did. Well done, faithful one. Enter into the joy of your Master!

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritan's Purse designated for cleft palate repair or evangelistic tools and training classes.