Helen Margaret (Alexander) Jones

     Helen Margaret Alexander Jones, 99, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2021 at Starfish Care Center in Tucson, Arizona.

     Helen was born in 1921 and was raised in the lava rock home built by her parents from rocks picked to clear the fields of their homesteaded acreage. She first attended a one-room schoolhouse in Tuttle, Idaho where her mother, Alena Alexander, taught local students including her and her brothers. Later, she graduated in 1939 from Gooding High School.

     In 1941 Helen married James Wren Jones. They raised three daughters - Diane, Becky and Jocelyn. Together they farmed, raised Hereford cattle and milked dairy cows until 1953 when they moved into town and together with Wren's sister and brother-in-law, Rena and Albert Hall, they purchased what became Hall and Jones Chevron stations. While raising the girls, Helen worked several different part-time jobs including picking beans and sorting potatoes. Once the girls were in school, she became a full-time employee of the Idaho State School for the Deaf and Blind, first as a housekeeper and then as dormitory parent for the primary deaf girls' dorm.

     After retirement Helen and Wren began traveling in their motorhome, spending several winters in the Southwest, mostly in Arizona.

     Helen was a board member and active member of the United Methodist Church of Gooding, Worthy Matron of the Gooding Chapter of Rebekah’s, and an active participant at the Gooding Sr. Center.

     In 2017, Helen moved to Tucson, Arizona where she enjoyed the daily company and loving care of Diane, Jocelyn and her granddaughter, Christina Lundy.

     Helen's and Wren's lives were filled with the company of many good friends, and their large extended family which included Helen's brothers - Eugene Alexander of Richfield, Idaho, Carl Alexander of Glenns Ferry, Idaho and Merrill Alexander of Gainesville, Florida and their wives and included 8 nieces and nephews. She was also very close to Wren's sisters, Ruth Maxwell, Rena Hall, Opal Lollar, Georgia Hoyt, all of Gooding, Idaho and Ora Spencer of San Bernardino, California and their husbands and included 16 nieces and nephews.

     Helen is preceded in death by: her husband – Wren; a granddaughter - Gina Lundy; her parents and all three of her brothers; all of her brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and six nieces and nephews.

     She is survived by her daughters - Diane Jones Lundy and Jocelyn Jones Brown (Darwin Priebe) of Tucson, Arizona and Becky Jones Deibert (Ken) of McCall, Idaho; as well as nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

     A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Gooding United Methodist Church.  Inurnment will follow at the Elmwood Cemetery in Gooding.    

     Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, family recommends wearing of masks and recognizing social distancing recommendations.

     Local arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service – Gooding Chapel.

     Thank you to all of you who contributed to the joy of her long and productive life. The family asks that any memorial donations be made to either the United Methodist Church of Gooding or the Gooding Senior Center.

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