Larry Berkley Jones, 84, of Topeka and formerly of Humboldt, died Monday, May 8, 2023, at The House at Midland Care in Topeka.
Larry was born on Oct. 29, 1938 in Blue Rapids, to Horace and Mary Jones. He was one of four sons.
He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1956, joined the Air Force, and while stationed in Scotland met and married Catherine Rose O’Donnell. He served in the Air Force from 1957 to 1963 and was discharged in Biloxi, Miss. He served in the Air Force Reserve from 1975 to 1981.
After his discharge from the Air Force, he worked for Braniff Airlines in Missouri, but relocated to Kansas in 1965. Upon settling in Humboldt with his family, Larry took a job at Monarch Cement Company, and worked there until his retirement in 2000.
In his personal life, he started playing trumpet at age 10, played in Bobby Jones’s band at night clubs starting in sixth grade, and while serving in the Air Force, performed at clubs while stationed in Crete. He loved music and performed with the Iola Municipal Band, Iola Community Theatre at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, a brass quintet, a German polka band, The Oompah Sauerkraut Band, and a Dixieland jazz band, Jack’s Hot Cats.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Elmer and Donald Jones, and a nephew, Berkley Jones.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine; his brother, Robert (Mary Vane) Jones; his three sons, Dennis (Sandy) Jones, Paul (Jean) Jones, and Andrew (Melissa) Jones; two nieces, Beth (Paresh) Jones and Gloria (Lenard) Hostetler; one nephew Roger (Patty) Jones; one grandson, Preston (Jasmine) Jones; cousins Marilyn Colhouer and Annette (John) Cline, and extended family and friends.
Larry was cremated at Midwest Cremation. Graveside services will be performed at Mount Hope Cemetery, 1282 Hawaii Rd., Humboldt, at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 10, with military honors provided by Whiteman AFB Funeral Detail, assisted by VFW Post No. 170.
Advertisement
Advertisement
