W. L. "Dub" Jones

Walter Lee “Dub” Jones, age 85 years of Niles, Michigan, father, grandfather, outdoorsman, gardener, and winning euchre player died peacefully at 2:07 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at Brentwood Assisted Living in Niles following a brief illness.

He was born on January 5, 1936 in Dowagiac, Michigan to Frank B. and Mary E. (Lilly) Jones and was graduated from Niles High School.  He was first employed as a meatcutter at Hauser’s Meat Market, and then at the A&P Grocery Store, both formerly of Niles.  After the A&P closed, he took a part-time job at Ned’s Meat Processing while working full-time at the National-Standard Corporation where he was employed for thirty years before retiring in 1997.  He was always a hard worker, and proud to collect as much overtime as available, “working 72 hours a week”, and still made time to volunteer as a firefighter at the Howard Township Fire Department for many years.

Dub was an avid outdoorsman including flying-in to moose camps in Canada and traveling out-west for elk hunts.  He also enjoyed fishing, felling trees for family and friends, and gardening.  He maintained a 1-acre garden near his home (with the assistance of his kids), growing a wide variety of produce in quantities adequate to feed the entire neighborhood with some still left-over.

He enjoyed traveling, visiting Alaska, Canada, and Mexico, taking the family on summer vacations across most of the United States, and camping.  He and his wife were winter residents of Florida.  They enjoyed entertaining at home, and kept the lawn and landscaping immaculate.  He also was an avid card player, especially euchre, and might have disliked losing more than he enjoyed winning.  He also managed to accomplish all of these activities – and more - without ever admitting to being wrong about anything.

On September 7, 1957 in Baroda, Michigan he married the former Matilda C. Schlutt.  Just a year ago, “Dub” and “Mutt” Jones celebrated the remarkable Sixty-third anniversary of their wedding, just days before Mutt preceded Dub in death on September 19, 2020.  He was also preceded in death by his parents, and by his sisters, Estella Lundgren and Marguerite Kelly, and brothers Richard Jones and Dave Lilly.

Surviving family includes their children, Debra (& Brian) Floor of Niles and Jeff (& Jane) Jones of Lawton, Michigan; grandchildren Emma Jones, Ethan Jones, Cody (& Brittany) Floor, and Devon Floor; and many nieces and nephews.

The family of Dub Jones will host a memorial service at Hope Community Church, 2390 Lake Street in Niles at Noon on Friday, October 22, 2021.  They will receive relatives and friends on Friday at church beginning 10:00 a.m.

Contributions in memory of Dub Jones may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Mutt’s church), 1819 Oak Street, Niles, Michigan, 49120, http://nilesholytrinity.com/ ; or to the Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation for Hope Grows, to support LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA for cancer recovery, 1234 Napier Avenue, Saint Joseph, Michigan, 49085, https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/lakeland-health-foundations/events/hope-grows .

Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles.  Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Dub was a tall guy, and lived a big life, working hard as a butcher and then the long hours in the plant at National-Standard; hunting the big game and felling the big trees; feeding the neighborhood from his garden and protecting his neighbors as a firefighter.  His family benefited from helping in the garden and seeing most of the country, having a home that looked inviting from the outside and felt inviting inside, having a winning attitude at cards and an “always right” passion.  He was respected and loved by many, and loved in a big way by his family and his wife.