Jerry H. Jones

Jerry Hart Jones died on Feb. 24, 2023, with his family by his side. He was born on Jan. 6, 1936, in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Earl William Jones and Margaret Catherine Hart.

After graduating high school, he worked as an apprentice and then journeyman printer for area newspapers and print shops.

While in high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve, following in the footsteps of his two brothers. He served on active duty from 1955 to ’57, primarily in the print shop of a destroyer tender, USS Frontier (AD-25), alternating between Long Beach, California, and Yokosuka, Japan. He rejoined the active reserve upon release from active duty and eventually made Chief Petty Officer. He was commissioned and retired after over 29 years of service with the rank of Commander. He was a Life Member of the Fleet Reserve Association.

In 1957, he met the love of his life, Edna Ann Jacobs, on a blind date in Omaha. They were married on May 10, 1958, in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Blue Hill, Nebraska, Edna’s hometown. They were married for nearly 65 years and raised five children: Cindy Williams, Helena; Kevin Jones, Fort Collins, Colorado; Cathy Novak and husband Kurt, Helena; Steve Jones, Billings; and Cheryl Fenhaus and husband Jason, Billings. They have 11 grandchildren.

Shortly after he and Edna were married, he began taking night classes at Omaha University and graduated in 1968 from the now-named University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a BSBA degree. He was a member of scholastic honoraries in Accounting, Business Administration and Economics. He began work in the audit department of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. and became a CPA. He changed to the tax department and transferred to the Billings office in 1975. He was a member of the American Institute, Nebraska, and Montana Societies of CPAs. In 1978, he began work as Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Security Federal Savings and Loan Assn., now Western Security Bank.

He retired in 1995 and enjoyed golfing, reading and travel in his retirement years. His greatest achievements on the golf course were a hole-in-one and in 1988, when with son Steve and friends from Yellowstone Country Club, qualified for and played in the National Finals of the Oldsmobile Scramble Golf Tournament at Disney World, Orlando, Florida. He was an avid reader and averaged nearly 100 books per year after retirement, totaling 3,072.

He served on the MetraPark Fair Board, Catholic School Board and as past President of Yellowstone Country Club.

He and Edna also enjoyed many years of travel, including 11 ocean cruises, visiting many foreign countries. They also participated in a 2014 Pilgrimage to shrines, churches, and cathedrals in Portugal, Spain and southern France. He visited 48 of 50 U.S. states (lacking only Alabama and Mississippi), Canadian provinces, the East and West coasts of Mexico, and four continents.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Margaret Jones; his brothers, Bill and John Jones; father and mother-in-law Edwin and Florentine Jacobs; sister-in-law Nancy Jacobs and son-in-law Matt Warner.

Visitation will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave., followed by rosary at 6:30 p.m., with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, March 3, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 2055 Woody Drive.

Memorials may be made to the Heart Association, Food Bank, Billings Catholic Schools Foundation or charity of your choice.