Jones, Zona Mae (Perry) 1933 - 2021
JONES, PERRY, AULWES, CONN, VOBR, OHALLORAN, NESSET, DAHLEM, THOMAS, TLUSTY, BOISEN, SCHUTTE
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/9/2021 at 12:16:09
Zona M. Jones of Grinnell, Iowa went to her heavenly home on Sunday, July 4, 2021. She had made her home at the Mayflower Assisted Living since 2013 and was moved to the Mayflower Health Center in February.
Zona Mae Perry was born March 5, 1933 in Riceville, Iowa to James and Myrtle (Aulwes) Perry. She attended rural schools until high school when she moved in with her grandparents and enrolled in LeRoy High School and graduated in May 1951. She met Walter Jones, the love of her life, at a dance. They were married on December 24, 1950 at the Baptist Church in LeRoy, Minnesota while Walter was home on a pass from the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. Their first home was across the street from the park in LeRoy where they welcomed their first three children Linda, David, and Rhonda. In 1958, Walter was transferred to Cresco, Iowa by the Central Iowa Telephone Company so the family moved to their next home across the street from Kessell Park in Cresco. Two more children, Brenda and James, were born in Cresco.
During the first period of time living in Cresco, Zona and Walter were among the founders of the Cresco Community Chapel. Zona spent most of her time with her children, but did work for a couple years as a bookkeeper at the Northern Iowa Oil Company. In 1979, the family moved to Grinnell when Walter was transferred to teach in the telephone training school. In 2002, Walter and Zona moved back to Cresco. A few years after Walter’s death, Zona and her family agreed that she was in need of assisted living, so she moved to Mayflower Assisted Living in Grinnell.
Zona’s love of the written word began when her father would recite poems from memory from his school days. She was proud being able to compete at the Minnesota state spelling bee while in school. For a number of years, she was a member of the Pen Women’s Club of Iowa and published a number of poems and short stories through the organization. Her greatest literary achievement was the Aulwes family history book she wrote that combined her love of genealogy and writing. She also published a book about LeRoy, Minnesota.
Zona had a competitive side to her nature. Whether it was challenging her sister to who could lose the most weight - or getting a blue ribbon for china painting at the fair - or beating her daughters, relatives and friends at Scrabble or Quiddler - or being crowned the Canasta queen, she liked to win. Although she knew how to be a good loser, she had a hard time being a gracious winner. She loved to play games with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her children: Linda (Phil) Conn of Robins, Iowa; David (Karen) Jones of Decorah; Rhonda (Dennis) Vobr of Cresco; Brenda (Dan) O’Halloran and James (Angie) Jones of Grinnell. She was the proud grandmother of ten grandchildren: Amy (Joel) Nesset, Heidi (Chad) Dahlem, Adam (Lisa) Conn, Sara (Trevor) Thomas, Ethan (fiancé Nicole) Jones, Michelle (Duane) Tlusty, Brian (Melanie) Vobr, Joshua O’Halloran, Brandon (Rachel) O’Halloran and Jason (Lindsay) O’Halloran. She is also survived by 26 great grandchildren and step grandchildren: Isaac and Abigail Nesset; Sam, Eli, and Caroline Dahlem; Landon, Owen, Easton and Raelyn Conn; Mason and Dylan Thomas; Tanner, Tucker, Madelynn and Derek Tlusty; Isabella, Bailey, and Parker Vobr; Annaliese, Aria, Alex, Alaina, and Aislinn O’Halloran; and Tessa, Quinton, and Blain O’Halloran. Her younger sister Joan (Kent) Boisen and sister-in-law Darlyne Perry, Walter’s brother Roger Jones as well as nieces and nephews also survive.
She was preceded in death by her husband Walter 2004, her parents James and Myrtle Perry, her brother Wayne Perry and her sister and brother-in-law Irene and Lyle Schutte.
Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database
Chester Hill Cemetery
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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