Barbara E Jones

Barbara Elich Jones, 67, passed away March 7, 2020 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Barbara was born May 27, 1952 in Pueblo, Colorado to Bartholomew and Josephine (Riggio) Elich. She grew up in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Cherry Creek High School. Barbara received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University where she met her future husband while performing as a two-piano team. Barbara earned a Master of Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Denver. Barbara and her husband Larry were married in 1976 in Denver and moved to Lincoln. Barbara taught music in the Lincoln Public Schools for 32 years before retiring in 2009. During her years with LPS, she won two Cooper Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence. Barbara taught Suzuki piano in Lincoln for over 30 years, and for 20 years she was the Director of the Lincoln Suzuki Summer Institute at NWU. She was a member of Lincoln Music Teachers Association, Nebraska Music Teachers Association, Nebraska Music Education Association, Music Teachers National Association, Suzuki Association of the Americas, Mu Phi Epsilon Music Fraternity and Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. In 1994 Barbara received the Outstanding Music Alumni Award from NWU, and in 2015 she was honored nationally as an MTNA Foundation Fellow.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Dr. Larry E. Jones, daughter and son-in-law Whitney and Nathan Paulson, son-in-law Justin Bechtel, granddaughters Ashlynn and Kendyl Paulson, sisters Charlotte Elich, Donna Elich (Mark Foster), Annette Parker, Nicki Arndt (Bill), and brother Rick Elich (Joleene), sisters-in-law Angela Jones, Connie Jones, brother-in-law Bruce Jones, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law J. Virgil and Betty Jones, brother-in-law Steven Jones, and daughter Dr. Ashley Bechtel.

No visitation. Cremation. Private inurnment.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Nebraska Wesleyan University designated for the Jones Music Scholarship.