William (Bill) Harper Jones, age 92, resident at StoryPoint of Ann Arbor in Saline, Michigan and formerly of 776 Hall Road, Quincy, Michigan, lost his courageous battle with age and Alzheimer’s disease on Sunday, November 10, 2019. Bill was born July 1, 1927, in Spring Arbor Township, Michigan to William Harper and Anna Georgia (Drake) Jones.
Bill was predeceased by four older siblings: his sister, Lieucelle (Jones) Oder, and his three brothers, Percy Jones, Casey Jones, and Ceicle Jones. Bill spent his early years on the family farm, before his mother fell ill and he went to live with his sister and her husband, Wilbur. He graduated from Coldwater High School, and remained close with several of his classmates.
Bill served in the Air Force for several years during the Korean War, becoming one of the first mechanics to work on jet airplanes used in air combat. He experienced a ride in one of those aircraft – but just one, which was more than enough for him! After mustering out of the military, Bill spent several years doing various jobs, including driving trucks, and was a bit of a playboy until the age of 31, when he met and fell in love with Nancy (Lawrence) Jones, a nurse. He and Nancy were married on June 4, 1959. The marriage was soon blessed with a daughter, Martha Anna (Jones) Saripalli, in 1961, and a son, Lawrence Lee Jones, in 1964.
Tragically, Bill lost his wife Nancy and his left arm in the Palm Sunday tornadoes which ripped through the Coldwater area on April 11, 1965. Undaunted, he forged on, keeping and raising his two children as a single man. Bill worked for the state of Michigan as an auto mechanic, and also refused to allow the loss of his arm to end his career.
The following year, fate once again stepped in when his sister Lieucelle introduced him to another nurse in the local hospital, Judy Garrison. Bill and Judy were married just six months later, and the year after welcomed Bill’s third child Rebecca Lieucelle (Jones) Sczepanski, in 1967.
Bill was active in several local organizations, including the Branch County Shrine Club, the Coldwater Masons Lodge (Tyre #18), and the Coldwater American Legion. He also spent many years exhibiting his team of mules at the Branch County Fair, and built a covered wagon so his family could experience a week traveling with the Bicentennial Wagon Train, which began in Oregon and traveled east to Independence, Missouri. He devoted many a summer weekend to driving his children to local horse shows, where he could often be found catching a catnap in the cool grass under the truck, saving his energy for working his full-time job and small farm.
Bill is survived by his wife, Judy; his three children, Martha Anna (Jones) Saripalli, Lawrence Lee Jones, and Rebecca Lieucelle (Jones) Sczepanski; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. He was the strongest man we ever knew – strong enough to be kind, honest, and to love his family unconditionally.
There will be a graveside service at Lester Cemetery on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 1 p.m., with a memorial reception to follow at Lockwood Church, 202 East Lockwood Road, Coldwater, Michigan 49036. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the local Shriners or Masons organizations in his memory.
