Donald Edward Jones

March 2, 1934 – August 22, 2023

Donald Edward Jones, 89, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, formerly of Kirksville, Missouri, peacefully entered the loving arms of his Lord and Savior on August 22, 2023, after a short illness.  The son of Luel E. Jones and Mabel J. (Smock) Jones, he was born March 2, 1934.  He was a graduate of Downing High School.  On December 21, 1952, he married the love of his life, Mary B. Fountain, and to this marriage, three children were born. The family moved from Downing to Kirksville in 1969, and after the children were grown, they moved to Florida in 1987.

Donnie never met a stranger.  He could strike up a conversation with anyone. Throughout his life, he was a devout Christian, husband, father, and church leader.  Donnie touched and inspired many lives as a farmer in Downing and working at the Pepsi-Cola bottling company in Memphis, Missouri; as a Sunbeam Bread delivery man and a First National Bank teller in Kirksville, Missouri; as a plant nursery and landscaping manager and a uniform delivery driver in Florida, and (his favorite) as a Disney cast member at Walt Disney World in Orlando.  After retirement, he and Mary enjoyed sharing the "magic" of Disney with kids and adults alike for ten years.

Donnie enjoyed working as a shade-tree mechanic, fixing cars, trucks, and farm implements with confidence and ease.  He also enjoyed music, especially singing and playing the guitar, which he "piddled with" until the last few months of his life.  He passed his joy and talents to all of his children.

Donnie was preceded in death by Mary, his wife of 62 years, his parents, grandparents, as well as many uncles, aunts, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and a niece.

Donnie is survived by his three children, Kenneth E. Jones (Marla), of Clinton, Missouri, Keith C. Jones (Sheila), of Land O' Lakes, Florida, and Charlotte K. Slusher (Danny), of Minneola, Florida; nine grandchildren, Austin Jones (Melynne), Meredith Sien (Josh), Alexander Jones, Tabitha Abraham (John), Deborah Ulsh (Austin), Timothy Jones, Nathanael Jones, Elizabeth Slusher, and Gabriel Slusher; nine great-grandchildren, Atticus Jones, Abrielle Jones, Asa Jones, Azariah Jones, Brayden Sien, Colton Sien, Ashtyn Abraham, Everly Abraham, Elias Ulsh; and three nephews.

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Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., at the Downing Christian Church in Downing, Missouri, with Pastor Larry Smith officiating.  Music will be special selections of "It Is No Secret" and "Mansion Over The Hilltop".  Pallbearers will be Kenneth Jones, Keith Jones, Danny Slusher, Austin Jones, Alex Jones, Atticus Jones and Terry Fountain.  Visitation will be held on Friday, September 1, 2023 at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri, 6:00-8:00 p.m.  The family has requested, in lieu of flowers, that memorial donations be made to the Campground Cemetery, Downing, Missouri; Central Christian College of the Bible, 911 E. Urbandale Dr, Moberly, MO 65270; or Dade City Christian Church, 11800 Windsorwood Blvd, Dade City, FL 33525. Donations can be left at Norman Funeral Home.   Burial will be in the Campground Cemetery, southeast of Downing, Missouri.   Online condolences may be expressed to the family by logging on to normanfh.com.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Norman Funeral Home of Lancaster, Missouri.