JERRY EUGENE JONES, 70, of Houston, TX, passed away
April 16, 2015 at W. Houston Medical Center surrounded
by his daughters, their mother and his dear cousin and
wife. Jerry had a military burial of his ashes next to
his mom & dad in Prairie View Cemetery in Aransas Pass,
and at a later date with a final farewell at Red Fish
Bay.
Jerry was born Oct. 31, 1944 to James Edward Jones &
Georgette Sunday Jones in Sugarland, TX. In 1950, he &
his family moved to Ranger, TX where Jerry attended
Ranger High School in the Class of 1963 and then on to
Aransas Pass, TX where he graduated from high school.
Shortly thereafter in 1964, Jerry joined the U.S. Air
Force where he specialized in jet engine mechanics. He
is a veteran of the Vietnam War. During his military
career, he earned several medals including National
Defense Service Medal, AF Outstanding Unit Award,
Vietnam Service Medal, & Good Conduct Medal. Sergeant
Jerry Jones was honorably discharged in 1970.
The following twenty years were quite the ride for
Jerry. He married Dorothy Gold in 1970 and had two
loving daughters; Becky & Jenny. Although Jerry and
Dorothy divorced in 1980, their friendship, love and
devotion to their daughters remained for his lifetime.
Jerry was a successful businessman working for several
oil companies before starting his own company American
Pipe Threading in 1979. With the decline of the oil
industry and recession in the 1980s, Jerry was forced
to close a business that brought him tremendous pro-
sperity. Thereafter, his entrepreneurship & culinary
skills coupled with his outgoing spirit and love of
people inspired him to go into the restaurant business.
He owned and operated a restaurant/bar/bowling alley
in Houston and later a BBQ takeout restaurant as well
as a bar known as The Frontier Palace in Aransas Pass.
As the recession improved, he ultimately went back to
work in the oil industry where his drive had him quickly
climbing the ladder of success again at Schlumberger.
In 1990, Jerry had a debilitating stroke but it didn't
stop his will and determination to live and succeed.
Although he could no longer speak and was partially
paralyzed, he went on to rehabilitate and live inde-
pendently for more than a decade still enjoying his
love of dice, cards, bird hunting and fishing. Every
chance he had, a fishing pole was in his hand for as
long as his body allowed. As his health deteriorated,
he was forced to live with 24 hour care for several
years to come. His strong will kept him fighting for
his independence regardless of the rules.
Jerry was a force to be reckoned with continually
pushing all limits and boundaries. Through all his
trials and tribulation, he persevered. He worked
hard, played hard, and loved hard. He would give
anyone the shirt off his back, and his strength,
determination, & passion will always be remembered.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his
grandparents.
Survivors include his two daughters Becky Tully &
husband Brian of Camillus, NY and Jenny Cerelli
& husband Jason of Spring, TX; four grandchildren
Laura and Joseph Tully and Alyssa & Avery Cerelli;
two sisters Judy Jones Denton (RHS-1965) and Casey
Jones Berg (RHS-1967) of Seymour, TN; as well as
many nieces, nephews, other dear relatives & friends.