Robert L. Jones

Patriot, Family Anchor, Churchman, Kiwanian, Scholar, Athlete, AdventurerBob Jones in his 95th year, passed away Thursday, January 26, 2023, in his San Antonio home of 47 years. Born in Dallas, graduating from Forest Avenue High School at 17 in 1945, he just missed serving in World War II. Offered an athletic scholarship to play baseball, he entered SMU that fall.

Losing his scholarship to returning WWII veterans, he joined the Air National Guard and the working world at Magnolia Petroleum Company. The Korean War draft was in place, but Bob soon started SMU night classes and left the Guard. Not long afterwards, his Air Force recruiter called and said his draft notice would arrive in three days and if opened he would be in the army. His advice: “get on the train to Lackland AFB” which he did. Thus began a 29-year association with the USAF which he later termed a Blessing with a capital “B” because it provided, a Regular Commission, 2 degrees, a wife met at UT, a career he relished and a navigation niche in which he excelled.

Bob soon qualified for the Aviation Cadet program at Ellington AFB near Houston and as one of three Distinguished Graduates was offered a Regular Commission. A new 2nd Lt., he was immediately assigned to Randolph AFB to combat and crew training for his eventual assignment to Okinawa in the B-29 bomber. Flying night missions in blackened aircraft, in precise formations, with precise target times, for long hours, Bob only had one near ditch in the Pacific with two of four engines gone. Thankfully, his crew survived to tell the tale.

Following Okinawa, his assignment was to Biggs AFB in El Paso to a SAC support Squadron ferrying classified equipment to classified places during the Cold War. As a bachelor, delays in returning were a chance to “see the world”. Those were the days of shooting the stars with hand held sextants and when no stars, using drift meters to read the whitecaps of the ocean. During this period, he survived a crash in the Sandia Mountains of Arizona with one fatality and total loss of the airplane. It was the first case of Wind Sheer on take off in AF archives.

Receiving a surprise AF mailing, he was asked if he would be interested in joining the Air Force Institute of Technology to finish his degree. Soon he was off to University of Texas at Austin to join 150 other selected AF officers. He met Liz in that first year at UT and after a summer of fun in Austin, her work in Houston upon her graduation, they could no longer stay apart. Bob graduated in 1958 Cum Laude with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and they married June 28, 1958 in Liz’s home church, Central Christian Church, Dallas. Their wedding trip was en route to Bob’s new assignment, Mather AFB in Sacramento, CA via the Grand Canyon.

Their AF life together brought building a home together and parenthood with two treasured daughters, Janet and Sally. Bob attended two professional military schools, Squadron Officers School and Command and Staff College. While there he completed his Masters Degree in Public Administration from George Washington University. Interesting job challenges came for Bob and interesting places for his family at AF bases in Sacramento, CA, San Antonio, TX, Montgomery, AL, Saigon, Vietnam, Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon. Always, the church in town was an integral part of their lives, being members of four Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. and serving in many leadership roles. In his 46 year membership in Alamo Heights Christian Church, he served as Chair of every administrative position and carried the honored position of Elder Emeritus.

Bob became a part of the business community of San Antonio when upon retirement from the USAF, he joined the New York Life Company as an agent. This was a successful, 20 year career with Bob’s early-on study to become a CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) and ChFC (Chartered Financial Services Consultant) allowing him to do advanced underwriting. Though very busy years for him, Bob an Liz began to dig into civilian life in wonderful San Antonio, enjoying the competitive swimming meets and track meets of their daughters in Churchill High School, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, the Majestic Club, friends and community building in Kiwanis, dance and bridge lessons at Incarnate Word and membership in Lamplighters Dance Club and Carousel Dance Club in New Braunfels, still enjoying an annual snow skiing trip and boating and water skiing trip on Canyon Lake. Being Texas Longhorn football fans, they enjoyed many tailgate picnic and season tickets with college friends, going to the Rose Bowl game the season before the Longhorns national championship in 2005.

He and Liz enjoyed building a Timber farmhouse on rural property near Canyon Lake. There began a goat raising enterprise with a guard donkey that saw 30 beautiful kids born the first year. How much he enjoyed campfires and visits there with friends, family, and Kiwanians. They began to travel to National Parks, including a very special trip to Mt. Rushmore, and in his 80’s a Road Scholar hiking trip though hills and valleys of northern Arizona, a Flying Longhorn trip to Yorkshire, England, and after his 90th birthday a wonderful cruise to St. Petersburg, Russia to see the art and architecture and to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. He went on three space available trips on the C-5 aircraft with family to Spain and Portugal and from Kelly AFB to Germany with friends.

He valued spending time with two grandsons, Zachary and Spencer, as they grew up; teaching them life lessons, encouraging their education and interests, and enjoying summer vacations especially individual trips when they reached age 10, then later visiting Rocky Mountain National Park when they had summer and winter jobs at the “Y” camp in Estes Park.

Innately generous with his time and resources, Bob supported local non-profits through Kiwanis, church ministries, veterans support groups, conservative think tanks and politicians who believed in capitalism. What blessings, joys, adventures and happy times he provided his wife and family, colleagues and friends in his long productive life!

He is survived by his wife, beloved Liz of 65 years, Elisabeth Ellisor Jones; his daughter, Janet Clare Jones; his daughter and son-in-law, Sally and Barry Smith; grandsons, Zachary and Spencer Smith and many special nieces, and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles Brackett Jones, Jr. and Elsie Dortch Jones; his grandparents, Charles Brackett Jones and Stella Jarnigan Jones; his grandparents, John Franklin Dortch and Viola Sawyer Dortch; his sister and brother-in-law, Wanda and Victor Moore; his brother-in-law Grover C. Ellisor, Jr.; and nephew, John C. Ellisor.

The family will receive friends for a visitation on Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary on McCullough Ave.CELEBRATION OF FAITH AND LIFE SERVICEFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023,10:00 A.M.ALAMO HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN CHURCH6435 N. NEW BRAUNFELS AVE.

Interment with Military Honors will follow at 11:30 a.m. in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Church reception following. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Alamo Heights Christian Church Ministries, 6434 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio, TX 78209; San Antonio – Bexar Kiwanis Club Charities, 411 Burnside, SATX 78209; DOMI Housing Ministry of Christian Church (DOC) 1110 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701

To view a live stream of the service, please click here.