Orville Bruce Jones

Orville Bruce Jones, of Fruita Colorado, passed in his sleep on September 29th, 2019. He was born on May 9, 1927 in the Hugoton Kansas Jail, as his father was the Sheriff. He grew up in the dust bowl and was severely burned in an accident, spending over a year at Crippled Children’s hospital in Kansas City. In 1945 he volunteered for the US Navy and underwent Stevedore training as a Seabee. At the end of the war he was stationed in Guam. He returned to Western Kansas and attending Panhandle State University. He met and married the love of his life Patricia Green, in Raton New Mexico in 1951. They built their first home in Hugoton Kansas, he started to work for Northern Natural Gas and had their first daughter Jan. They later moved to Omaha Nebraska and welcomed a second daughter Nanette. They moved back to Liberal Kansas and welcomed the last daughter Amy.
In 1968 they left Kansas and moved to Grand Junction Colorado. They owned and operated Redlands Drive In and Potato Junction, and later Realty Junction. O. Bruce was active in the Fellowship of Cooperating Christians and lead the Save the Barn committee. They were founding members of the Church of the Nativity.
They enjoyed their later years traveling the US in their motorhome, with the moto of “Life is a Journey not a destination”. They loved spending time with their 3 daughters Jan Jones-Schenk and husband Paul, Nanette Holzer and husband Ron, and Amy Jones, grandchildren Christopher /Jenifer Holzer, Hillary / Ian Poor, Melissa / Bob Stewart and Morgan Schenk; and great grandchildren, Austin, Micah, Ashleigh, Alex, Asher, Brian, and Olive and many nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces as well as countless friends.

A Celebration of life will be held at noon on Sunday December 1st at Church of the Nativity, 2175 Broadway, Grand Junction, Colorado. The service will be followed by a light reception afterwards in the fellowship hall of the church, and will feature Bruce’s famous Spudley Specials. All are welcome .
Bruce and Patricia’s ashes will be interred on Monday December 2nd at 10 am at the Veterans Memorial Cemetary of Western Colorado with an Honor Guard in recognition of his World War II service.



In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado at 2830 Riverside Parkway Grand Junction Colorado, in his name.

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