Blake Guy Jones 1936 ~ 2015 Blake Guy Jones was born March 23, 1936, in Clawson, Utah, the son of Iva Oviatt and Clifford Jones. He died Jan. 19, 2015, in Heber City after battling cancer for several months. Blake was a confident but modest man whose love for family and friends bolstered many lives through his strength, laughter and knowledge. His Emery County upbringing made him a steadfast Utah native, and though he spent a majority of his life in the Park City, Salt Lake and Heber City areas, his favorite place was the Boulder Mountains of southern Utah. Blake first came to live in Park City as a 5-year-old boy whose father found work in the silver mines, but his family later moved to Salt Lake City. His father died in a industrial accident when Blake was 7 and he and his three sisters were raised by his mother in Sugar House, which at that time was a rural and historic suburb of Salt Lake. Summers and long breaks from school would find Blake back in his grandmother's Emery County home where he would explore and enjoy the backcountry of one of Utah's still remote areas. With his mother's blessings Blake enlisted in the U.S. Marines at the age of 16, and he spent three years as a radio operator during the Korean War. When that conflict ended he came back to the States and worked with the national reserves to fulfill his military service commitment. Much of that time was with the Air National Guard, where he served in a number of capacities until 1998, when he retired as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Using his radar skills, Blake in 1968 took a job with the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic controller in Salt Lake. He held that position until 1981, when he and thousands of other controllers participated in the PATCO strike to protest their employment conditions and packages. Blake rebuilt his business career and became a successful agent with Farmers Insurance, serving Salt Lake and Park City. Blake was father to five children: Clifford (Linda) Jones of Saline, Michigan; Vincent (Beth) Jones of Fort Worth, Texas; Nikki (Eric) Ransom of Westerville, Ohio; Amy Morris of Seattle and Brian (Sarah) Morris of Salt Lake. He has 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, all of whom he adored. Blake had three sisters: Barbara Lefler (deceased), Colleen Cory and Kathy Aldred of Salt Lake. Blake and his wife Cathy Maddaloni had front-row seats in the growth of Park City as a major ski and tourist mecca. They joined lives in Park City in 1980 and watched the area develop, living for a time in Park Meadows then moving in the mid-1980s to pastoral land on Old Ranch Road, where they enjoyed the views of the Wasatch Mountains and their dear friends and neighbors. As Park City grew, so did Blake and Cathy's desire for a life change that would take them to Seattle where they operated two pizza franchises. They devoted their time to that business venture from 1997 to 2008, when they retired and moved back to Utah, settling in the Heber Valley. Travel was a hallmark for Blake and Cathy, who visited Turkey, Greece, Italy, Russia, Australia, Scotland, Ireland, Hawaii, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the Panama Canal, their San Diego getaway, and most importantly, America's National Parks. Blake was a thoughtful man who enjoyed reading and learning about history, particularly the U.S. Civil War and World War II. He was proud of his country yet cast a critical but studied eye toward events and politics. His manner of thought was respectful and mindful of others. He had lifelong friends who will forever cherish their memories of him. Military services will be held Monday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. at Camp Williams, where his ashes will be interred. A short reception will be held following the services, and a celebration of his life will be held the following day, Feb. 10, at the Elks Lodge in Park City from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Arrangements have been made with Olpin-Hoopes Funeral Home in Heber City. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Civil War Trust, whose mission is to preserve and protect Civil War Battlefields. Contact the trust at [email protected] or by calling 800-298-7878.