Morris Jones

Rev. Morris Joe Jones passed away on January 4, 2010, in Wheatridge, Colorado. He was born in Argyle township, Michigan, on March 1, 1927, to Vaughn and Helen (Baxter) Jones. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Doris, of Arvada, Colorado; son Willard, of Tacoma, Washington; daughter Cheryl (Stephen) Scott of Golden, Colorado; and daughter-in-law Sally Wallner of Murrieta, California. A son Daniel preceded him in death. He is also survived by two sisters, Inez Colton and Marjorie (Lloyd) Sutliff, and two sisters-in-law, Ruth Jones and Betty Jones, all of Michigan; and by 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. A sister, Luada, and three brothers, Kenneth, Paul and John, preceded him in death. Joe graduated in 1950 from Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana, where he was yearbook editor, Student Council President, and participated in various musical groups. In 1950 he became the first pastor of the new Forest Hills Missionary Church in Farmington, Michigan, and on July 29 was married to Doris Witmer. Beginning in June 1953 he served as an evangelist, until he and Doris went to Japan as missionaries in April 1954 through a partnership between the Missionary Church and the Oriental Missionary Society (now OMS International). They served there until 1974, and Joe traveled to churches and worked with Japanese pastors to develop their ministries. During that time, Joe also served on various boards and committees of the mission and of Tokyo Bible Seminary, on the board of Christian Academy in Japan, and as business administrator and Acting Field Superintendent for the mission. Joe and his family lived in Tokyo and Kobe at various times, each for about 10 years. From July 1975 to June 1983, Joe was Michigan District Superintendent of the Missionary Church, with responsibility for about 40 churches. After that, he served for 5 years as Pastor of the Bliss Missionary Church in Levering, Michigan; and for almost 6 years as a hospital chaplain in Placentia and Santa Ana, California. In 2004, Joe and Doris moved to Colorado, to be near where their son, daughter and grandchildren live. A memorial service in Joe’s honor will be held in the coming weeks.