Homer Jones Obituary (1909

Homer passed away peacefully in his sleep early Memorial Day morning. He was 102 years old. Homer Swapp Jones was born to Randall Lunt Jones and Lovina Swapp Jones in Valparaiso, Indiana on December 3, 1909. With the exception of the first few months spent in Indiana, while Randall completed architecture school, Homer was reared in Cedar City.Homer married his childhood sweetheart, Barbara Belle Macfarlane in the St. George temple on May 21, 1931, and they enjoyed 72 years of married life. They raised three sons and hosted two foster Indian children for several years. She preceded him in death on September 28, 2003.Professionally Homer was an award-winning photographer. He owned and operated Zion Photo in Cedar City for nearly 40 years and Portraits by Homer in Las Vegas for another eight years. Homer always enjoyed horses, and after he sold his business in 1973, he and his brother Lewis bought Berry Springs Ranch near Hurricane, Utah. Homer and Belle operated the ranch, hosted grandchildren, and raised purebred Arabians for thirteen years at Berry Springs.For several of these years Homer and Belle served as ordinance workers in the St. George Temple. They left the ranch in 1979 to serve a full-time mission in Atlanta, Georgia. Homer was active in the LDS church most of his adult life, and served in many capacities. He was called as the bishop of the Cedar 5th Ward in April of 1955. He was an active home teacher in the Indian Hills Ward at the time of his passing.Homer had an eye for beauty. In his eightieth year he took up water coloring and continued to improve his skills. He later won the sweepstakes ribbon at the Iron County Fair for three consecutive years. He took great pleasure in creating scenic watercolors for each of his children and grandchildren as well as for many friends. Homer was a friend to everyone. When he turned 85 he volunteered to deliver meals on wheels to the "old people" which he did faithfully for several years. He loved golf and fishing but gave them up when he turned 90.He has been a lifelong "Rotarian" and served as president of the Cedar City club in 1950-51. He has been a benefactor and supporter of many good causes, especially SUU where he was a member of the Old Main Society. Homer loved to travel, see new places and meet new people, but in all of his travels he never found anywhere he liked quite as well as Cedar City, Utah.Homer is survived by three sons, Thomas J. Jones (DAnn Olson) Roy, UT, Kenneth Jones (Janene Davis) Centerville, UT, and Daniel M. Jones (JoAnn Duncan) Cedar City, UT; 19 grandchildren; 79 great grandchildren; and 2 great, great, grandchildren.Viewings will be held in the Southern Utah Mortuary from 5-7 PM on Friday, June 8, and from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM on Saturday, June 9. The funeral service will be held in the Old Rock Church beginning at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 9. Interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Homer and Belle Jones Scholarship Endowment at SUU. Donations can be mailed to 351 West University Blvd, Cedar City, UT 84720, or by calling 435-865-8436. Online condolences can be made at www.sumortuary.com.