Phyllis I. Jones obituary

Phyllis Irene Jones, 85, of Atlantic, passed away Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.

Phyllis was born May 26, 1929 in Boone, Iowa, to Leslie and Mabel Swanson Buzzell. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1947 and moved to Des Moines to work at Bankers Life, where she met John (Jack) Jones. Phyllis and John were married July 18, 1948, in Des Moines.

The couple farmed in the Atlantic and Cumberland areas until moving to the Cass County Care Facility (Sunshine Home) where John was the farm manager in 1981. Phyllis was a med aide and kitchen aide at the home until her retirement in 1994. They moved into their current residence in Atlantic just before their 40th wedding anniversary in 1988. 

Phyllis was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and enjoyed leading Bible studies and taught Sunday school when her children were young. Her quiet, but strong faith was an example to all who knew her. She was active in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League serving as an officer at the local and zone levels.

Phyllis was active in 4-H, both as a youth member and a leader as an adult. She enjoyed playing Pinochle with her friends, children and grandchildren, quilting, sewing and being with family and friends.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 58 years, John Jones; a grandson, John Paul Jones; two brothers, Clair and Darwin; a sister, Rose Jane in infancy; two brothers-in-law, Frank and Glenn Jones; and a sister-in-law, Gladys Hall.

She is survived by all five of her children, Marilyn Jones, of Des Moines, Janice and husband David Steffen, of Cumberland, Nancy and husband Iver Johnson, of Lamar, MO, David Jones and wife Cathy, of Cumberland, and Rosalie and husband, Rick Kloppenburg, of Osceola; nine grandchildren, Andy Steffen and wife Jody, Griswold, Jessie (Steffen) Evans and husband Ryan, Griswold, Heidi Johnson, Lamar, MO, Jill Kloppenburg, Dubuque, Nathan Steffen and wife Andrea, Wiota, Bethany (Jones) Kent and husband, Brandon, San Francisco, CA, Jenny (Kloppenburg) Addison and fiancé, John Bacsik, Raleigh, NC, Anna (Johnson) Strong and husband Greg, Lamar, MO, and Katie Kloppenburg, Iowa City; eight great-grandchildren, Eric McKee, Sydney and Shelby Steffen, Logan and Collin Evans, and Brookelyn, Brylee and Blayre Steffen; brother, Darrell Buzzell and wife Connie, of Ogden; and sisters-in-law, Delores Buzzell and Eunice Sterner both of Ogden, Darlene Jones of Atlantic and Maria Jones of Madrid, Spain.

The funeral took place Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014 at Zion Lutheran Church with burial following at Southlawn Memory Gardens in Atlantic.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, was in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.hockenberryfamilycare.com.