James Jones

James Jones, 83, of Danville, IL, passed away Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Villas of Hollybrook Assisted Living in Danville, IL.

He was born April 25, 1938, in Danville, IL, and was the middle child of Phoebe and Jerome Jones. He grew up in Perrysville, IN, and the three brothers spent their days playing outside, driving their mom crazy, and shooting BB guns (at each other). He attended and graduated Danville High School and then attended Eastern Illinois University where he received a BS in Business Management. After graduation, he took a job with Commercial Credit and relocated to Chicago to begin his career. It was there that he met a naïve Lutheran girl named Judith Benson at a North Avenue bar on St. Patrick’s Day; they began a life together on September 4, 1965, that would span five decades.

Jim had a passion for model trains that would then turn into a passion for watching trains at railyards with family and friends. He and Judy loved to play tennis at Liberty Park and then at the Danville Tennis Club where he was a member for most of his adult life. He also spent a lot of time with his kids showing them how to throw a baseball or how to shoot a basketball. Genealogy was a big part of his life, and he loved to spend time downstairs unraveling his ancestry and what the family tree looked like on both sides. He was a very experienced wine maker, and nothing pleased Jim more than having friends and family over so they could sit in the sunroom and have a glass of wine.

Along with being a husband to Judy, he also was her driver as she decided she never wanted a driver’s license. He took her everywhere she wanted to go and spent countless hours in the Chico’s parking lot waiting for her to try on all the clothes in the store and never once complained about any of it.

He was an amazing father who taught his kids the value of hard work, amazing husband who worshiped his wife and would do anything for her, an amazing grandfather who cherished the time spent with his grandkids and was as an amazing friend to the countless people he met during his life and would always be there when they needed a helping hand or a bottle of wine.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years and love of his life, Judith Jones, and a brother, Tony Jones, of Danville, IL.

He is survived by his older brother, Shull Jones of Prescott, AZ; three children, Deron (Sondra) Jones of Norwalk, IA, Brett (Angel) Jones, and Kristen (Dave) Watson both of Danville, IL; seven grandchildren, Riley (Whitney) Jones of Danville, IL, Seth and Reece Jones of Bloomington, IL, Caitlen and Nathan Jones of Norwalk, IA, Caitlynn Selph of Danville, IL and Logan Watson of Mattoon, IL; and two great-grandchildren, Owen and Noah Jones of Danville, IL.

Donations can be made to the Illiana Genealogical Society in honor of Jim and his passion for ancestry.

A Celebration of Jim's Life will be at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, July 17, 2021 at American Legion Post 210.

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