Doris Jones

Doris [Witmer] Jones 1926-2015 Doris Jones, age 89, of Golden, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on June 23, 2015. Doris and her twin sister Dorothy were born April 24, 1926, to John & Sylvia [Gingrich] Witmer, in the family farmhouse near Brown City, Michigan. She first attended Odellville School, a one room country schoolhouse about 3/4 mile from home. The Witmer twins walked to and from school except in the coldest weather, when their father would drive them in a horse-drawn sleigh. After graduating from Brown City High School in 1943, Doris found a job in Detroit with her sister Beulah’s help, and then attended Chicago Evangelistic Institute for a year. She transferred to Bethel College, Mishawaka, IN, graduating in 1950. It was there that she met her future husband, M. Joe Jones. They were married on July 29, 1950, and began their career of service pastoring a United Missionary Church (now Missionary Church) in Farmington, MI. While there they felt God calling them to overseas missions, and in 1954, with a 2-year-old son and Doris 6 months pregnant, sailed to Japan to serve with the Oriental Missionary Society (now One Mission Society). Upon leaving Japan in 1974, they served the Missionary Church in Michigan District leadership, and then pastored the Missionary Church in Bliss, Michigan. In 1988 they moved to California, where Joe began serving with the Hospital Chaplains Ministry of America. Doris supported him in this ministry, and they were active in the Anaheim First Nazarene Church. In 2003 they moved to Arvada, Colorado, to be near their children and grandchildren. Doris was preceded in death by her parents John and Sylvia Witmer, sisters Helen Scott and Beulah Wakefield, brother Raymond, her first son Daniel, and her husband Joe. She is survived by her twin sister Dorothy (Weyburn Johnson); son Willard (Sheryl Hayes) and grandchildren Alissa and Kyle (Ann Shipek); daughter Cheryl (Steve Scott) and grandchildren Aimee, Andrew (Annie Nelson), and Abigail (Daniel Fluharty); daughter-in-law Sally (Randy Wallner) and grandchildren Shelby, Shannon, Sydney and Chad; and 9 great-grandchildren. Doris enjoyed time with her family and friends, contacting them regularly by letter and email. She made quilts for all her grandchildren, and pies for almost every occasion. Her warmth, love for people, and compassion were felt by all who knew her. She will be remembered as a woman of grace and commitment to the Kingdom of God, devoted to her family and faithful to her husband throughout their active ministry.