Jones_Ralph_13 October, 1923
Ralph H. Jones Jr., 85, longtime Pocatello resident and attorney, passed away early Friday morning, March 20, 2009, at his home, of congestive heart failure.
He was born Oct. 13, 1923, in Pocatello, along with his twin sister Rula Merle, his only sibling. They loved each other dearly and shared life with each other until her passing in February of 2006. He lived in Pocatello, Idaho, all of his life except for the time he served in the military and when he attended law school at Stanford University. He was an attorney by profession and practiced with his family’s law firm, Jones, Pomeroy & Jones, until he retired last year at the age of 84.
He served in the military from 1942-1946, He arrived in France in the winter of 1944, six months after the D-Day invasion.
He married Colleen Harmon on July 14, 1951, in Provo, Utah. Together they had three children: Judy Myrle, Ralph Douglas, and Julianne. Colleen passed away on March 26, 1973. In December of 1973 he married Marie Lang in Newport Beach, California. Marie has been a faithful companion, tenderly and lovingly caring for him until his passing.
At the time of his passing, his mind was remarkably sharp. He remembered all of the family birthdays and important dates. He loved to call all of his dear family members daily, not only with his trivia questions for the day and the weather update, but also often added a “colorful” joke, updated sports info, and the rundown on the poker game he stayed up watching the night before. His family was his world and he also had many, many, friends from all walks of life, whom he entertained, loved and cared for.
Ralph dearly loved his cabin Mackay. He loved every part about it; the fishing, wildlife, cottonwood trees, hummingbirds, his BBQ grill, but mostly the friendships he developed over the many years of summers together. He always said Mackay added ten years to his life.
Ralph is survived by his wife Marie, his three children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, as well as three step-children, Kristy Reed, Milton H. Lang, Jr., and Lisa Pratt, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He loved and adored all of family.
The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful home health care-givers, especially MacKenzie and Tracy who attended to his care over the last six months. He loved you and looked forward to your visits. Words are inadequate in the expression of our gratitude to all of you.
Ralph was also very appreciative of all the wonderful good deeds offered him by family, friends, care-takers, and doctors, especially all of you at the VA Clinic who were so very kind to him. Ralph was a loving, kind, gracious soul, who would do anything for anyone he could help; he was generous to a fault.
The family extends an invitation to all of Ralph’s family and friends to attend his viewing and funeral services. The viewing will be at the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Avenue, on Monday evening, March 23 from 7 to 9 p.m., and from 10 a.m. until the funeral service, which will begin Tuesday morning, March 24, at 11 a.m. in the Cornelison Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery with Military Graveside Rites by the Pocatello Veterans Honor Guard. He most generously thank all of you for all you have done to enrich the life of our father, Ralph H. Jones, Jr.
“I hope there are cottonwoods in heaven, ‘cause that’s where I want to go. I hope they’re as pretty as they are in MacKay, Idaho.”