Neil Jones

Neil Harmon Jones, 86, was born February 19, 1938 in South Lyon, Michigan and passed March 10, 2024, in Riverview, Florida surrounded by his family.   Neil was the son of Ford & Kathryn (Shuman) Jones in South Lyon, MI.  Neil passed exactly 25 years to the day that his father and true hero Ford Jones passed (March 10, 1999).

Neil graduated from South Lyon School in 1956.  Neil lettered in Baseball & Football all through high school and was inducted into the South Lyon High School Sports Hall of Fame.  Neil went on to play Football at Olivet College for 2 years and was partners with father in Dairy Farming after college.  

On November 7, 1959, he married Joanne Trew of Flint after meeting on a blind date through Joanne’s cousin Bill Wiseman.  Neil made the city girl a farm girl.  

Neil owned a Dairy Farm with his father Ford in South Lyon until 1972 at which time Neil and Joanne moved their family of six and dog Tippy to Charlevoix.   Neil worked construction for Joanne’s Uncle George for a year and decided he missed farming, so they bought a herd of cattle with his good friend Mike Miller, and they farmed for a couple of years together before Neil decided to go out on his own again.

Neil and his family milked cows on Marion Center Road until 1994 when Neil sold his herd but continued to hay farm until 2016.  While Neil and Joanne were farming, they hired and nurtured many area teenagers who all thought the world of Neil and looked up to him as a mentor.   Neil also worked for the Chicago Club in Charlevoix on the grounds crew for 20 years after he stopped milking cows.  Neil and Joanne then sold the farm in 2018 and moved into town where they enjoyed spending time with friends and family.  You would often see Neil having breakfast at Smoke on the Water or Harborview Café with his buddies.  

Neil served for several years on the Oakland and Charlevoix County Farm Bureau Boards, Ellsworth Farmer’s Exchange Board, Marion Township Trustees and was a Deacon at the South Lyon Presbyterian Church before moving north.

Neil never missed a 4-H Livestock auction at the Charlevoix-Emmet County Fair.   He loved any kind of auction whether it be livestock, tractor or farm he was there.  Because of his dedication to his wife and family he always made the effort to attend sporting events, band concerts, plays and 4-H shows and auctions for his Children and Grandchildren, even when farming got in the way, he was there as much as he could be Neil never missed a football game in Charlevoix and even traveled for games when his Grandsons were playing and traveled for track meets and volleyball games for his Granddaughters.  He was a true Charlevoix Rayder Fan going to as many Basketball, Baseball, and football games as he could or watching them on t.v.  He also loved Tigers baseball and Lions Football and MSU Football and basketball.  Often spatting in fun with Joanne about their split household, Spartans vs. Wolverines.  

For the last few years Neil loved spending time in Zephyrhills, Florida.   When he was able to go, he made many friends and loved to play washers.  Even playing a game just a week before he entered the hospital.  Nothing was going to slow him down.  

Neil loved his Oliver Tractors and loved working on them and restoring them with his best friend Jim Brenay, even though Jim was a John Deere lover.  

There wasn’t a person that didn’t like or even love Neil, and he never had a bad thing to say about anyone.  He would always find something good in someone.  He kept a notepad in his left chest pocket that had all of his friends and families phone numbers and he called all of them on a weekly basis or monthly basis even while he was in the hospital before his passing.  

Neil is survived by Wife Joanne, Children, Kimberly (Rod) Stevens, Shari (Kent Seymour) Jones, Bethany (Terry) Walters, Son Robert (Kelly) Jones, Grandchildren Ashley (Darwin) Sherlock, Nick Jones, Jason Jones, Kathryn (Shane) Dunklow, Kaylee (Andy) Lucas, Robert Walters, Drew (Loren Bailey) Seymour and Great Grandchildren, Alora & Aiden Sherlock, Andrew & Sophia Dunklow, Andy and Miles Jones and Willis and Ellis Bailey.  Brother Robert F Jones and Niece Maria (Chuck) Nelson and nephew Kris (Robin) Jones, cousins Carolyn (John) Jones, Jim (Roberta) Dempsey and several great nieces, nephews and cousins and his best friends Jim and Pat Brenay and their family.   

He was proceeded in death by his Parents Ford & Kathryn Jones, a baby sister Flora, his in-laws JC & Marion Harvey, Grandson Riley Stevens, Grandparents Lynn & Gladys Shuman and Elmer and Gertrude Jones,  Sister-in-law Sylvia Jones, Aunts and Uncles Keith and Glenna Jean Willard and Walter & Dorothy Dempsey.  And several Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.  

His family is so happy he is no longer suffering from his Sarcoidosis disease or Congestive Heart Failure, and we know he is in God’s hands while talking farming, tractors and Tigers baseball with his Father and hero Ford Jones.  

Memorials can go to Reformed Church of Charlevoix, 109 Elm Street., Charlevoix, MI 49720 or  Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, 320 W. Ohio St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL  60654 or Rayder Grid Iron Club (Charlevoix Football), P.O. Box 754, Charlevoix, MI  49720.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 from 6-8 p.m. at the Community Reformed Church of Charlevoix. Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, March 20 at 11:00 a.m. also at the church with visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services.
   
Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery, Charlevoix.

Arrangements are in the care of the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign his online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com