Calvin Kenneth "Ken" Jones
Aug 7, 1925 -
Aug 21, 2020
Calvin Kenneth "Ken" Jones of Anchorage, Alaska, passed away on Aug. 21, 2020, with his daughter Janet and son Johny by his side. Ken was born on Aug. 7, 1925, to Rosa and Samuel Jones in Elmore City, Okla. Ken was the youngest of five children: three brothers and one sister.
Ken enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in November 1943. After an honorable discharge, he started his 42-year career in the oil industry.
Ken married the love of his life, Alzira Ramona "Mona" Elias on July 2, 1949, in Las Vegas, Nev. Together, they raised three children in Bakersfield, Calif., until moving to Alaska.
Ken came to Alaska before statehood, working for Halliburton in the early discovery days of the Alaska oilfields. In 1961, Halliburton transferred Ken and his family up to Alaska where they lived in Soldotna, before moving to Anchorage in 1964, right before the '64 Earthquake. Ken retired in 1986 as a drilling foreman for Arco. Mona passed away just a year after his retirement, in January 1987.
Ken was a proud tribal member of the Chickasaw Nation. As a respected elder, he enjoyed going back to Oklahoma many times in the fall for the Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting and Festival.
Ken loved gardening: he took great pride in cultivating his vegetable garden, many perennials and annuals, and award-winning giant cabbages in his yard. His neighbors frequently told him he had the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood.
After retiring, Ken loved to travel, especially to warm places like Hawaii, Costa Rica and Fiji. He also enjoyed RV-ing around Alaska and enjoying the great outdoors in our beautiful state.
Ken was a devout Catholic and a longtime parishioner of Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage. He was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, formerly serving as Grand Knight to the Council and a trustee of the Council up until his passing.
Ken is survived by his three children, Randy Jones of Big Lake, Alaska, Johny Jones (Kim) of Anchorage, and Janet Daley (John) of Anchorage; grandchildren, Levia, Serena, Darbi, Galen, Doss, Gunnar and Skylar; and four great-grandchildren.
Ken's family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to RN Beth at Frontier Hospice for providing dignified and compassionate care to Ken in his final days.
Funeral Service: Due to COVID-19 municipal mandates, a private family funeral service will be held on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, at Holy Family Cathedral.
Interment: Fort Richardson National Cemetery
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to payable to Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree, and sent to Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 91512, Anchorage, AK 99509-1512.
