William K. Jones, 98, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday evening, March 29, 2017, at Crystal Care in Ashland, Ohio.
Bill was born in Somerdale, Ohio, on March 25, 1919, the son of John and Edith (Teuscher) Jones. He graduated from Dover High School and attended Kent State University before beginning his working career at the Timken Company in Canton, Ohio, in 1940. He retired in 1983 as General Plant Supervisor of the company’s Gambrinus Steel Mill where he had made life-long friends.
Bill loved music and sang in high school, college, and church choirs most of his life. He also sang with the Canton Civic Opera as bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah, an oratorio he always loved. He was active in Canton at Perry Christian Church and served many years as an Elder.
In 1943, Bill married Janet Evans of Dover, Ohio, who had been introduced to him by his friend who was also her brother. The couple set up housekeeping in Canton and welcomed three children to their family. On October 16, 2016, they celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.
In 1990, Bill and Janet moved to Ashland, Ohio, where they took up residence on Avalon Drive. During their retirement, they traveled together on bus trips in the US and visited ancestral homes in Wales and Switzerland, as well as the rest of the British Iles and France. Bill enjoyed playing Euchre and Cribbage and stayed active by swimming. He logged over 4,000 swims from the time he joined the Ashland YMCA until his health caused him to discontinue swimming in September 2015. In Ashland, Bill was a member of First Christian Church and, later, Ashland Christian Church.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and a twin sister, Wilma Tylke. He is survived by his wife Janet Jones; sons, Warren (Anne) Jones of Duluth, Georgia; Timothy Bruce (Beatrice) Jones of Madison, Wisconsin; a daughter Nancy (Stanley) Hess of Ashland; seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Friends may greet the family on Monday, April 3, 2017, at 10 a.m., one hour prior to the 11 a.m. service honoring Bill’s life at Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home, 313 Center Street, with Pastors Scot Myers and Rich Pate officiating. Burial will follow at Ashland County Memorial Park. Memorial gifts may be given to Ashland Christian Church, 1480 Orange Rd, Ashland, Ohio 44805 or First Christian Church, 1425 King Rd., Ashland, Ohio 44805, in Bill’s memory.
The family wishes to thank those whose care and support meant so much to Dad during these last months.
For those not able to attend, expressions of sympathy may be made to the family by visiting denbowfh.com
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