JONES, Jack Louis 1926-2011

JONES, HANKINS

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 7/4/2011 at 04:39:54

[Waterloo Courier, Sunday, February 20, 2011]

Jack Louis Jones passed away Feb. 11 peacefully, with his family by his side. He was married for 51 years to Dolores Lavonne Hankins (Dee) who preceded him in death.

He is survived by five children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Jack was born June 20, 1926, in Kewanee, Ill. Jack graduated high school in Cedar Falls (1944). He served two years in the U.S. Navy, based in the Philippines during World War II. Jack attended Graceland College for his AA degree (1948) then earned his BA degree at Iowa State Teachers College (1950) where he met Dolores.

Jack and Dee lived in Iowa and California before moving to Marshall, Mo., in 1965 with their five children. He held various jobs, most notably director of Head Start and Day Care Program.

In 1970 Jack found his true calling, when with the help of his loving wife, he admitted his powerlessness over alcohol and turned his will and life over to a "Higher Power." Moving to Tucson, Ariz., he earned his master's degree in Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Arizona.

Jack and Dee moved to Bisbee, Ariz., in 1975, where he was the Director-Alcohol Counsel of Cochise County, department head of Cochise County Behavioral Department and director of Cochise County Behavioral Heath, Inc. These three entities merged and Jack was then executive director of Southern Arizona Alcoholism and Behavioral Health Department.

Jack started and developed alcohol programs in Cochise County with emphasis on residential care. He started five LARC/Halfway houses. Jack often received phone calls and letters from former residents telling him: "You saved my life by helping me to stop drinking."

He retired in 1985 and moved back to Kewanee with Dee to care for his mother on the family farm. He and Dee took up gardening and enjoyed 15 years of peace and beauty in the country.

Jack never stopped counseling - as his caregivers at the assisted living apartments where he died will attest.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, 215 W. Brown Road, Mesa, AZ 85201. In lieu of flowers please make donations to ALS research or your own heart's charity.

Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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