Robert Lloyd Jones, Lt. Col. USAF (RET.)

May 29, 1928 - January 26, 2023

Patriot, Family Anchor, Churchman, Kiwanian, Scholar, Athlete,

Adventurer

Bob 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.

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.

As one of three Distinguished Graduates from the Aviation Cadet program, Bob 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 combat 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 only 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 an AF mailing, he was asked to finish his degree. He was off to University of Texas at Austin to join 150 other AF officers. He met Liz in that first year at UT and after a summer of fun in Austin, her work in Houston, 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.

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 ChFP (Chartered Financial Planner) allowing him to do advanced underwriting. Though very busy years for him, Bob and Liz began to dig into civilian life in wonderful San Antonio, enjoying the sports 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 dance club, still enjoying snow skiing and water skiing. Being Longhorn football fans, they enjoyed many a 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 frame farmhouse 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, Mt. Rushmore, and in his 80’s a hiking trip though northern Arizona, a Flying Longhorn trip to Yorkshire, England, and after his 90th birthday, a wonderful cruise to St. Petersburg, to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. He and Liz 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 his 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. What blessings, joys, adventures, and happy times he provided his wife and family, colleagues and friends in his long and productive life!

He is survived by his wife, beloved Liz of 65 years, Elisabeth Ellisor Jones; his daughter,

Janet Jones; his daughter and son-in-law, Sally and Barry Smith; grandsons, Zachary and Spencer Smith; many special nieces, and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; his grandparents; 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 on Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary.

CELEBRATION OF FAITH AND

LIFE SERVICE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

10:00 A.M. ALAMO HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN CHURCH

6435 N. NEW BRAUNFELS AVE.

Interment with Military Honors will follow 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.

You are invited to sign

the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com