Lyle B. Jones

JONES, BEAHM, WRIGHT, STUTZMAN, KNORZER, KESSLER, CRIST, HEWITT

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/11/2009 at 16:45:44

Lyle B. Jones, 93, longtime Iowa City insurance and real estate agent, died peacefully
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 surrounded by family at Mercy Hospital.

Lyle was born in Henry County, Iowa on June 3, 1914, the son of Joseph and Calla Beahm Jones. On April 7, 1936 Lyle was united in marriage to Martha Jane Wright in Quincy, IL. They began their lives together in the oil fields of Wyoming but two years later, after the birth of their first daughter, returned to Iowa to farm near their roots.

It was time for a change, so in 1948 Lyle and Jane purchased an insurance agency in Iowa City. By now there were three daughters and a favorite horse. Never getting the farming out of his system, Lyle insured many farms and eventually obtained his Real Estate Brokers license enabling him to help others buy or sell farm ground.

They sold Jones-Thomas Insurance and Real Estate in 1971 and concentrated on selling and developing their own land into residential areas, Spring Valley, Lake Pointe and Meadows I & II.

Lyle was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Iowa City Noon Lion’s Club,
and had served as past president of both the Mutual Insurance Agents of Iowa and the Iowa City Insurance Agent Assn. Lyle had been a Boy Scout Leader and was awarded the Silver Beaver.

Lyle was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He and Jane traveled in their motor home to see this great land they lived in and to stay connected to their family as it grew and spread. He was a gentleman whose strong character and the ability to be a good listener inspired those he touched. His “green thumb” can be seen all across Johnson County and in several states, as Lyle loved to share his plants with friends and family.

Lyle is survived by his three daughters, ten grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren; LaBonte Stutzman (Bill) of Surprise, AZ and their sons, Richard and James, Barbara Knorzer (Tim) of Carson City, NV. and their children, Elizabeth and Tim(Rene’) and Lou Hogan Kessler (Jim Kessler) of Coralville and their children, Andrew(Laura), Courtney, Ainsley, Scott(Ann), Randy(Karen) and Deb(Jim); and several nieces , nephews and cousins.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Martha Jane, his grandson Kenneth Stutzman, two sisters Beula Crist and Melba Hewitt and one brother Glenn Jones.