Merley Lloyd Jones

JONES, MERLEY LLOYD “COWBOY” Merley Lloyd “Cowboy” Jones, age 82 of Waco, died Wednesday, September 3, 2003 at his residence. Services will be held at 1:30pm Saturday, September 6 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel, 1124 Washington Ave. Interment will follow at Waco Memorial North. Visitation will from 6-8pm Friday, September 5 at the funeral home. Mr. Jones was born August 31, 1921 in rural Hill County, Texas the son of Mertie Elizabeth and Turner Ambrose Jones. He was raised in Hubbard, Texas where he met his future wife, Lema Sue Murphy. They married in 1942, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served in the United States Air Force during World War II as an oxygen transport driver and a Military Police Guard at a POW camp in England. Mr. Jones was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, European American Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal. He was honorably discharged in December of 1945 and returned to Waco to raise a family. Mr. Jones was employed as a bus driver variously by Waco Transit, Texas Central Bus Lines and Durham Transportation until his retirement in June, 2003. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner as well as a member of the American Legion Post#121 in Waco. Mr. Jones was also an avid gardener and fisherman. Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Nina Mae, Irene and an unnamed infant, three brothers, Etter, RB, and Ottie, and his wife, Lema Sue. He was a loving father to and is survived by his son Don Jones and wife, Pam of Houston, his daughter, Marsha Jones Firmin and husband, Gene of Hewitt. Also surviving are his sister Myrtice Pierce of Sayre, Oklahoma, his grandchildren, Ashley Jones of Clear Lake, Shawn Firmin and wife Amanda of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Erin Jones of Austin, Whitney Firmin of Hewitt, and one great-granddaughter, Ryleigh Faith Firmin of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas along with numerous nieces and nephews. A special thanks to The Visiting Angels, Dianna Perkins, Angela and Eva. It would be his fondest wish if Memorial Gifts were made in his honor to either Providence Hospice, 301 Londonderry Dr., Waco, TX 76712, Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, 6977 Main, Houston, TX 77030 or Waco ISD Education Foundation, P. O. Box 2369, Waco, TX 76703. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbaile.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY