My Uncle Willard was actually born in a small town called Midland,Oklahoma to Cleason D. Jones and Nancy Annie (Shott) Jones. He grew up near Stratford, Garvin County, Oklahoma and attended public schools. He had a love of music and played the guitar, and at one point played with Bob Wills and the Texas Play Boys at alot of the small honky tonks around Oklahoma and Texas. I am not sure why he stopped playing with them as they were just beginning to make a name for their band. He married Edna Mae Freshwater on January 22, 1936. They had two children: Leon Willard Jones and Donna Rae Jones Black. Their marriage ended up in divorce. Uncle Willard later married Betty Fike who was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I am not sure exactly when they married. They worked side by side for many casket companies. Uncle Willard made caskets that his wife had designed. They began this in Oklahoma with the Oklahoma Casket Company. They later worked for a company base out of California, was transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, and then to San Diego where they retired. Uncle Willard died in San Diego and Aunt Betty had his body returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he was buried so she could visit his grave every day. She was badly crippled up with athritis and moved in with her sisters until her death.
My Uncle Willard was actually born in a small town called Midland,Oklahoma to Cleason D. Jones and Nancy Annie (Shott) Jones. He grew up near Stratford, Garvin County, Oklahoma and attended public schools. He had a love of music and played the guitar, and at one point played with Bob Wills and the Texas Play Boys at alot of the small honky tonks around Oklahoma and Texas. I am not sure why he stopped playing with them as they were just beginning to make a name for their band. He married Edna Mae Freshwater on January 22, 1936. They had two children: Leon Willard Jones and Donna Rae Jones Black. Their marriage ended up in divorce. Uncle Willard later married Betty Fike who was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I am not sure exactly when they married. They worked side by side for many casket companies. Uncle Willard made caskets that his wife had designed. They began this in Oklahoma with the Oklahoma Casket Company. They later worked for a company base out of California, was transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, and then to San Diego where they retired. Uncle Willard died in San Diego and Aunt Betty had his body returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he was buried so she could visit his grave every day. She was badly crippled up with athritis and moved in with her sisters until her death.
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