JONES, BETTY LEONARD, June 27, 1909 – January 10, 2006

Betty Leonard Jones, age 96, died January 10, 2006 at Twin Falls, Idaho. She was the youngest of six daughters born to Wendell “Mike” Leonard and Anna (Lang) Leonard. Her parents and five sisters immigrated from Yugoslavia in 1906.

Following a brief stay in New York and Youngstown, Ohio, the family moved to Jerome, Idaho, where Betty was born on June 27, 1909. A few years later, after Salmon Dam was built and the tract was opened up to farming, the family moved to Rogerson, Idaho, where her father had a small farm.

Betty attended school in Rogerson and high school in Hollister. Following graduation in 1928, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio and lived with a sister, Helen Zollitch, while attending Spencerian School. Following graduation, she worked for Attorneys Quigley and Brynes and a short time for Warner W. Bateman during the Depression.

Betty moved back to her roots in Idaho and in 1935 began thirty-five years working for the Twin Falls Bank and Trust. She left the bank in 1969 to marry Walter Jones, a rancher and farmer from Malad, Idaho. Walter jokingly but truthfully chose their wedding date of January 3, 1969, so as to make tax preparations easier following their honeymoon in Hawaii along with attending the National Cattlemen’s Assoc. annual convention in Hawaii. Betty moved to the Jones ranch where she met her new family –daughter, Vera (Lowell) Davis and sons: Kelly (Mary Jo), Kurt (Jill), and Ray (Paula). She has ten great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. One great-granddaughter preceded her in death.

While in Malad she was active in community organizations. She served nine years on the hospital board, was president of the Cowbells Assoc., and organized the Pink Ladies Auxiliary. Betty enjoyed the Senior Citizen Center activities and was active in her church. She was a loving wife and helpmate and took good care of Walt all during their life together and especially during his illness before he passed away. Betty was the “light of his life”.

Betty and Walt spent 24 happy years together until 1989 when Walter became ill and passed away October 26, 1993.

Betty moved back to Twin Falls in 1994. For many years she took care of her sister, Helen Zollitch, who died April 23, 1996 at the age of 107. Betty enjoyed community service work both at College of Southern Idaho and Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls where she was a pink lady. She regularly visited friends who were confined to their homes and was independent and active until an auto accident in 2002. Betty was faithful to her religious upbringing and attended church regularly as long as she could.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, five sisters, mother and father, and one great-grandchild. Betty is survived by Vera and Lowell Davis, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral mass was held Monday, January 16, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at the Reynolds Funeral Home in Twin Falls. Holy Rosary will be recited. Interment will be in the Malad City Cemetery the same day.