Whether it was on horseback or in public life, Max Jones left a lasting mark in Carson Valley.
A viewing for the longtime Carson Valley resident and former East Fork Justice of the Peace Max LaMar Jones is 5-8 p.m. today at Walton's Chapel of the Valley Funeral Home in Carson City.
A founding member of the Douglas County Sheriff's Mounted Posse, an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former East Fork Justice of the Peace, Jones died March 28, 2008, at age 91. A funeral service is 1 p.m. Thursday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel on Spruce Street in Minden. A viewing will also be held prior to the service 11:30-12:30 p.m. Mr. Jones will be buried in Garden Cemetery after the service.
Born March 13, 1916, in Malad City, Idaho, to Dan and Mary Jane Jones, he was one of 16 brothers and sisters. He attended grade school and high school in Malad and Weber College at Ogden, Utah. While attending Weber, Mr. Jones met and married Lura Miller.
He worked in various gold mines and the couple made their first home in the gold mining town of Jarbidge.
After a brief time, they and son, Max Jr., moved to Fallon, where Jones worked at a dairy farm milking cows and for Safeway Stores in Reno.
In 1939 Mr. Jones was sent to Gardnerville to manage the Safeway Store. After two years Safeway closed and Mr. Jones took over the lease and opened the Gardnerville Food Store. He operated the store until 1963 when he sold it to Luke Neddenriep and went into the insurance business for Farmer's Insurance.
Mr. Jones served as East Fork Township Justice of the Peace for 10 years from 1964 to 1974, was a member and president of the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce, director of Douglas County Civil Defense, scout master of Boy Scouts of America troop 140 for 10 years receiving the Silver Beaver and On My Honor Awards and served on the scouts' board of review for 20 years.
Mr. Jones served on the Douglas County School Board for two terms, was a member and president of the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club and a charter member of the Carson Valley Lions Club.
From 1941 through 1945, he served his country in the Merchant Marines. He was a volunteer firefighter for 32 years. Mr. Jones was the founding member of the Douglas County Sheriff's Posse, which he served for 10 years. He enjoyed participating in the Pony Express re-ride each year with his friends and grandsons.
Mr. Jones could often be found riding his favorite horse, Casey, and helping ranchers with their cattle and working his own small herd. He loved cutting wood, flying his single engine Stinson airplane and chasing wild mustangs in the Pine Nut Mountains. He enjoyed hunting with family and friends and looked forward each year to deer and elk hunting season.
Mr. Jones was the first presiding elder for the Carson Valley Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was the driving force behind the fundraising for the new church in Gardnerville.
In 1979, he and his wife served an 18-month mission for the church in North Carolina.
In 1981, Mr. Jones was called to work in the Oakland, Calif., Temple and currently was serving at the Reno Temple and has served the Carson City Nevada Stake as Patriarch for approximately 20 years.
Mr. Jones is preceded in death by his parents, the love of his life of 59 years, his wife Lura;15 brothers and sisters; and son-in-law Dr. James W. Decker.
He is survived by his four children, Max LaMar, Jr. (Honor Settelmeyer) of Reno, Lura Lee of Belmont, Calif., Eileen Decker of Minden, Mary Jane (Kirk) Robinson of Gardnerville; eight grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Donations may be made in Mr. Jones' name to the Carson Valley Museum, 1477 Highway 395, Gardnerville, NV 89410 or to Boy Scouts of America, 1745 S. Wells Avenue, Reno, NV 89502. Funeral arrangements are in the care of Walton's Chapel of the Valley Funeral Home.
The family would like to thank the community, friends and family for their love, prayers, thoughts, support and stories.
