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Roy Lee Jones was born October 11, 1940, in Wagner, MT, and passed away March 15, 2025, in his home near Beaver, OR, in the loving presence of family members. Roy traveled the long, challenging journey of dementia and other painful medical conditions with grace – never complaining and always smiling.
Roy was raised in the small ranching community of Malta, MT. He was the youngest child of the nine surviving children of Floyd E. and Elizabeth E. Jones. Roy spent his childhood working alongside his parents and siblings caring for the family’s livestock and garden. Thanks to animals the family raised, meat from abundant game in the area, vegetables from the garden and the creative genius of Roy’s mother, there was enough food to feed the large brood and some to share.
Roy began school in a one-room schoolhouse, walking two plus miles or taking turns riding double back on a horse to school. When the family moved closer to town, Roy attended grade school in Malta, MT. Roy’s dad got a job working in the woods and the family relocated to Tillamook County. For one year Roy attended Beaver Elementary School. The family spent one winter in Tillamook County after which it was unanimously decided they would return to Montana to dry out and escape Oregon’s legendary rainfall. Roy attended Malta High School and was a stand out athlete. He broke many of the school’s track records and joined the varsity football team as quarterback his freshman year. After school, Roy joined two of his older brothers traveling around the area competing in rodeos. Roy personally competed in bareback and saddle bronc events.
Roy joined the Navy in 1959. While stationed in the Bay Area, Roy met and married the mother of his children, Elaine Munson. Roy was aboard the USS Montrose, an attack transport ship heading to Laos, when he was injured during a typhoon and subsequently medically discharged from the Navy in 1961. Following Roy’s discharge from the service, the couple settled in Beaver Oregon area. Three children were born of this marriage: Daniel Lee Jones, Laurie Elaine Jones and Kandice K. Jones.
Roy attended Clatsop Community College in Astoria, OR and earned his Associates Degree. Roy furthered his education at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, OR for three and a half years, before having to withdraw from classes to return to work to support his family.
As long as Roy lived in Montana, he worked as a ranch hand for local area ranchers. His favorite event on a ranch was branding cattle. Roy loved branding – not so much the actual task – but the camaraderie of the ranchers. It was a festive occasion involving lots of good food, amazing stories from the old timers and the music played around a big campfire following supper. Roy didn’t think there was anything else quite like it.
After leaving the service and settling in South County, Roy worked driving trucks, worked in many areas of construction, was a draftsman and operated heavy equipment for Louisiana Pacific, as well as several other mills. Lastly, Roy worked for J.W. Fowler, traveling all over Oregon operating many different types and sizes of heavy equipment needed for Fowler’s varied jobs from building roads, to an airport in Redmond and a golf course in Bandon, etc. Roy took great pride in his work and once a job was completed, enjoyed looking back to admire the finished product with a sense of satisfaction.
All of his life Roy loved to hunt and fish and was proficient at both, putting a lot of meat on our family table over the years. He especially loved hunting in Montana. Roy treasured the hunts when he was able to take one or more of the kids along.
From the time Roy was a young child, he has always enjoyed a close relationship with animals. His favorite animals were horses and dogs. Nothing made Roy happier as a kid than riding his horse all day over the rolling prairies of northeastern Montana with his border collie, Lassie, running alongside.
Roy’s childhood family had a few material possessions. There was no electricity or running water. But all the kids said their childhoods were perfect because their home was always filled with love, laughter and music. The family loved singing together and playing guitar, fiddle and the spoons. Roy played guitar and had a beautiful singing voice. He was lead singer in several country bands, playing local bars and events in the Tillamook County area.
Roy married the love of his life Marilyn K. Garner Wigg, on Christmas Day in 1981. This marriage brought three more children into the fold for Roy to love and nurture: Jason Wigg, Rachel Cloud and Charity Groshong. Roy and Marilyn were blessed with more than 43 years together living and loving their large, combined family and their own extraordinarily close and loving relationship.
Roy is a hero to all of his children; a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and cousin; Roy was a man of few words, a friend to all, a humble and honest man, a gentle man of strength, warmth, love and generosity. Roy leaves to honor his memory his sister, Velma Arter, of Roseburg, OR; his wife, Marilyn, of Cloverdale, OR; sons Daniel Jones (Laurie) of Post, OR; Jason Wigg of Las Vegas, NV; daughters Laurie Jones, of McMinnville, OR; Kandi Van Buren (Dan), of Lakeside, OR; Rachel Cloud (Billy), of Tillamook, OR; and Charity Groshong (John Kerr), of North Plains, OR; 16 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
We wish to thank Adventist Health Tillamook Hospice for their care and support, granting Roy’s wish to remain at home with Marilyn under her loving care during his final days.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM at Waud’s Funeral Home
