Frederick A. Jones
February 25, 1923-June 23, 2011
Rogers, Arkansas
Frederick A. Jones, 88, of Rogers, passed from this life into the arms of Jesus on June
23, 2011, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, AR. He was born on Feb. 25, 1923, to
Major John Cecil Jones and Freida (Hatch) Jones in Owatonna, MN.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Marian; daughter, Barbara Amato, and son-in-
law, Philip, of Cincinnati, OH; son, Michael Jones, and daughter-in-law, Laura, of
Round Rock, TX; grandchildren, Henna Jones and Sarah Jones, of Round Rock, TX;
and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his three siblings; and his daughter, Elizabeth
“Liz” Jones.
Growing up on the campus of Pillsbury Military Academy (MN) where his father was
Commandant, Fred excelled in academics and was an expert marksman. Following
graduation in 1941, he served in WWII, both in the European-African-Middle Eastern
Theater and in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Upon his honorable discharge in March
1946, he entered Parks Aeronautical College (now part of St. Louis U.). He transferred
to California Institute of Technology, graduating from Illinois Institute of Technology
in 1951 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
While at Parks and only a month after his honorable discharge, he met his future wife
Marian on a blind date at one of her college dances in April 1946. He and Marian were
married April 2, 1949, in Chicago, IL. Following Fred’s graduation, they moved to
Detroit, where he was employed by Vickers; by Chrysler; and for the next 30 years, by
General Motors Overseas Operations. When GMOO moved its division to New York
City, he was sent to Dayton, OH, as the liaison with the Frigidaire Division of GM.
Based in Dayton, he spent time working in New York, Korea, Venezuela, Canada, and
Egypt, where he prepared a factory layout and provided technical advice on proper
production procedures for refrigerator building.
For many years, he took his family on camping trips throughout the U.S. and Canada.
One year, he included his father on a trip to Nova Scotia, his father’s birthplace. Later,
northern MN became the annual destination. Upon retirement in 1985, Fred and
Marian found their “Minnesota in the South,” settling in Rogers, AR, on Beaver Lake.
In recent years, they have enjoyed autumn vacations in Orange Beach, AL.
In his leisure time, Fred was an avid reader of the classics, especially Shakespeare,
Melville, and Dickens; he enjoyed classical music and the older hymns. He was gifted
in design and craftsmanship, having built much of the furniture in his homes, and in
later life, building detailed ship models. In every home, he had a workbench and
pegboard filled with tools and hardware. At one point he became interested in
skydiving, making several jumps. He enjoyed cooking; his children remember his
Saturday morning pancake breakfasts. He was not a big fan of television, but he did
watch the old Top Cat cartoons and The Avengers, and he enjoyed Animal Planet and
The History Channel.
He was a humble man, not seeking or wanting attention, but was happiest volunteering
behind-the-scenes, whether tutoring students in math at Bentonville’s Old High or
building sets for a Christmas production at Hope Church.
Born again in 1978, Fred was a man of deep convictions, with a desire to instill strong
qualities of character in his children, wanting to equip them for life. His family,
church, and community knew Fred as a man of integrity, faith, and humility, a quiet
man whose few, well-chosen words spoke wisdom, knowledge, and direction.
A memorial service will be at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 26, 2011, at Hope Church, with
Pastor Jim Brewer officiating.
Memorials may be made to Circle of Life Hospice, 901 Jones Road, Springdale, AR
72762, or to the Elizabeth “Liz” Jones Missions Memorial Fund, c/o Hope Church, 1700
Moberly Lane, Bentonville, AR 72712.
23, 2011, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, AR. He was born on Feb. 25, 1923, to
Major John Cecil Jones and Freida (Hatch) Jones in Owatonna, MN.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Marian; daughter, Barbara Amato, and son-in-
law, Philip, of Cincinnati, OH; son, Michael Jones, and daughter-in-law, Laura, of
Round Rock, TX; grandchildren, Henna Jones and Sarah Jones, of Round Rock, TX;
and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his three siblings; and his daughter, Elizabeth
“Liz” Jones.
Growing up on the campus of Pillsbury Military Academy (MN) where his father was
Commandant, Fred excelled in academics and was an expert marksman. Following
graduation in 1941, he served in WWII, both in the European-African-Middle Eastern
Theater and in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Upon his honorable discharge in March
1946, he entered Parks Aeronautical College (now part of St. Louis U.). He transferred
to California Institute of Technology, graduating from Illinois Institute of Technology
in 1951 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
While at Parks and only a month after his honorable discharge, he met his future wife
Marian on a blind date at one of her college dances in April 1946. He and Marian were
married April 2, 1949, in Chicago, IL. Following Fred’s graduation, they moved to
Detroit, where he was employed by Vickers; by Chrysler; and for the next 30 years, by
General Motors Overseas Operations. When GMOO moved its division to New York
City, he was sent to Dayton, OH, as the liaison with the Frigidaire Division of GM.
Based in Dayton, he spent time working in New York, Korea, Venezuela, Canada, and
Egypt, where he prepared a factory layout and provided technical advice on proper
production procedures for refrigerator building.
For many years, he took his family on camping trips throughout the U.S. and Canada.
One year, he included his father on a trip to Nova Scotia, his father’s birthplace. Later,
northern MN became the annual destination. Upon retirement in 1985, Fred and
Marian found their “Minnesota in the South,” settling in Rogers, AR, on Beaver Lake.
In recent years, they have enjoyed autumn vacations in Orange Beach, AL.
In his leisure time, Fred was an avid reader of the classics, especially Shakespeare,
Melville, and Dickens; he enjoyed classical music and the older hymns. He was gifted
in design and craftsmanship, having built much of the furniture in his homes, and in
later life, building detailed ship models. In every home, he had a workbench and
pegboard filled with tools and hardware. At one point he became interested in
skydiving, making several jumps. He enjoyed cooking; his children remember his
Saturday morning pancake breakfasts. He was not a big fan of television, but he did
watch the old Top Cat cartoons and The Avengers, and he enjoyed Animal Planet and
The History Channel.
He was a humble man, not seeking or wanting attention, but was happiest volunteering
behind-the-scenes, whether tutoring students in math at Bentonville’s Old High or
building sets for a Christmas production at Hope Church.
Born again in 1978, Fred was a man of deep convictions, with a desire to instill strong
qualities of character in his children, wanting to equip them for life. His family,
church, and community knew Fred as a man of integrity, faith, and humility, a quiet
man whose few, well-chosen words spoke wisdom, knowledge, and direction.
A memorial service will be at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 26, 2011, at Hope Church, with
Pastor Jim Brewer officiating.
Memorials may be made to Circle of Life Hospice, 901 Jones Road, Springdale, AR
72762, or to the Elizabeth “Liz” Jones Missions Memorial Fund, c/o Hope Church, 1700
Moberly Lane, Bentonville, AR 72712.
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