Roy Jones

Roy Cecil Zeke Jones was born in Vernon, Texas on November 4, 1925 to Roy J. Jones and Rocky Oglesby Jones. As a young man, Cecil along with his brother Earl and his sister Henrietta helped with the family farming and attended a one room school house in Farmers Valley.

In order to go to high school in Vernon where he could play football, Cecil worked two jobs. It was as a fry cook and delivering ice that he was able to support himself through high school. In his senior year Vernon won the High School Football District Championship.

During World War II Cecil, Zeke was stationed on Guam where he was the storekeeper for all machinery and equipment. In 1944 he received an honorable discharge from the Navy, and it was on his return home that he received a football scholarship to North Texas University in Denton.

In Denton he met his wife to be, Virginia Jo Ewalt. On September 4, 1947 they entered into a marriage that would last 65 years. Zeke attended the Univ. of Oklahoma and after one semester transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he graduated with a B.B.A. Janis Lynn, their first child was born in Waco in 1949.

Zekes long time friend, Don Mouser with whom he started 1st grade in the country school at Farmers Valley graduated from that same year. Don and Zeke went on together to take the head coaching and assistant coaching position at Pecos High School in Pecos, Texas in 1950. Subsequently, Zeke became the principal of Pecos Junior High School and was later appointed to be the assistant principal at Pecos High School.

In 1956, Jo and Zeke moved to Raton, New Mexico where he worked as managor for the Raton Sign Company owned by Don Partridge. In 1960, Zeke and Jo pruchased the electrical and mechanical portion of The Raton Sign Company and formed Zekes Inc. Zekes Inc. grew, servicing the areas residential and commercial needs, Zeke completed several commercial contracts in Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio. He was also significantly involved in the electrical work required for operations at TheYork Canyon Mine. In 1961, Jo and Zeke were blessed with their second child Jerry Lyle.

Zeke was instrumental in the development of Raton he was one of five investors in and the builder for the Spur Lanes. He was also one of four investors and the builder for the Holiday Inn in Raton, and was coownerbuilder of the Mira Monte Shopping Center on Grant and Second Street.

Zeke served on almost every board and committee in Raton...these include: Charter President of the Raton Jaycees, member of the Chamber of Commerce Board, President of the BabBL Shrine Club, President of the Raton Rotary Club, member of the Raton School Board, member of the Raton Elks Club, President of the Raton Country Club, President of La Mesa Race Track, and elder of the First Presbyterian Church. Zeke joined the board of Sunwest Bank in 1972 and chaired the board from 1984 to 1995.

Roy Cecil Jones is survived by his wife, Virginia Jo Jones of Ruidoso his daughter, Janis Loverina and her husband Richard of Ruidoso Jerry Jones and his wife, Debra of Rio Rancho sister Henrietta Hightower and brother Earl Jones both of Dallas. Granddaughters, Brie Sherwin and her husband Robert, Heather Simpson and her husband Sean, Jessica Jones and grandson Matthew Jones Fernandez as well as great granddaugther, Mia Simpson.

Roy Zeke will be interred at the Santa Fe National Cemetery with military honors. The family has requested memorials to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.