Susan Jones

Obituary lovingly provided by the family of Susan Jones.....

Susan Jones, lifelong resident of Neosho, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, after a brief illness. Susan was born on January 28, 1944, to James & Marjorie Young.

As a young girl, Susan attended the one-room school house at Hilldale, just down the road from her family's dairy farm. She graduated from Neosho High School in 1961. Susan pursued an education degree from Southern Missouri State University.

Susan loved nature, so she particularly enjoyed her Science courses while studying at SMSU. After receiving her Bachelor degree, Susan began her teaching career in Seneca, Missouri, and worked there for a number of years.

Susan married Stephen Jones in August of 1968. They celebrated 57 years of marriage this year. Susan continued her teaching career for several years, then took a hiatus from teaching 1971 to accept a promotion to homemaker and stay-at-home mother. She returned to teaching for a few years when her children were older, but in the late 80s she became the secretary for Rocketdyne Road Church of Christ, a position she held for over 30 years.

Susan loved God and His church, and her faith was the main compass of her life. Susan played a major role in the JOY Bus program at Hillcrest Church of Christ.

Hundreds of Newton County children were introduced to Jesus because of this ministry. Several years later, Susan and her sister Kathy wrote, illustrated, and published a children's ministry curriculum called "Blessings in Disguise," a series which eventually gained regional and then national notoriety. Keeping up her service efforts close to home, Susan again worked with Kathy and other church volunteers to plan, decorate, and host annual, themed lock-ins for the youth group at Rocketdyne Road.

Additionally, Susan worked alongside a team of members from church to launch a new children's ministry program called KidsKonnection.

Even after these significant examples of church involvement, Susan wasn't finished. She and several other church friends began dreaming and praying and planning about creating an annual event for teenagers to recharge and be spiritually empowered before beginning a new school year.

In 1998, the JumpStart Youth Rally was born. Even though Susan stepped back from her leadership position with JumpStart several years ago, the event is still going strong, bringing in renowned speakers from across the country, and allowing Rocketdyne Road to play host to approximately 500 students and their sponsors every August. Susan's life of service impacted thousands of lives for the Kingdom of God, in both direct and indirect ways.

Susan cherished her family, and loved spending time with them during the holidays. She is survived by husband Stephen; sister Kathleen Reynolds and her husband, Earl; son Tim Jones and his wife, Robin; daughter Stefanie Anderson and her husband, Chad; brother-in-law Wayne Jones and his wife, Sherryle; niece Lena Bynum and her husband, Patrick; niece Anna Reynolds and her fiancé, Aaron Farber; niece Tina Whiting and her children; niece Jenny Taylor; niece Missi Estes, her husband, Josh, and their children; nephew Kirk Jones, his wife, Amy, and their children; nine grandchildren, including Andrew, Nathan, Sam, and Chloe, with whom she had special relationships; six adorable great-grandchildren; grand-nephew Aaron Barker and his partner, Joy Grace; grand-niece Natalie Barker and her fiancé, Austin Applegate; and countless other family and friends whom Susan held in high regard. Susan was preceded in death by her father and mother, Jimmy & Margie, as well as several grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and other loved ones.

Susan's Celebration of Life service will be held Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 2:00pm at Rocketdyne Road Church of Christ in Neosho, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations benefitting the JumpStart Youth Rally are most welcome, and can be sent to Rocketdyne Road Church of Christ.

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