Gordon Jones

Gordon Crawford Jones died peacefully on December 28, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlsie and Edwin Jones, his brother Rayford Jones and his sisters, Mary Turner and Ginny Giles. He is survived by his wife of 70 years Gloria Jones, son Doug Jones (Louise), daughter Terrie Savage (Scott), granddaughter Courtney Andrews (Rip), grandsons Carson Jones and Christopher Jones, step-granddaughter Jessica Savage, great-granddaughters Ever and Ollie Andrews and numerous nieces and nephews.

Gordon was born on April 7, 1931 and grew up in Wylam where he got his first job at age fourteen. He joined the Navy at age seventeen and ended up serving two separate tours of duty. While home on leave during his first Navy stint he was set up on a blind date with Gloria Wesson beginning a fairy tale romance. They met on Wednesday, he asked her to marry him on Sunday and they were married just two weeks later. He died peacefully as she held his hand. He got a job at U.S. Steel in between his Navy tours and returned there after he completed his second tour in 1954. He worked in the Tin Mill at U.S. Steel’s Fairfield Works and was a union representative for the United Steelworkers until 1967 when he was promoted to a management position as supervisor of electronic maintenance. He retired from U.S. Steel in 1982 but continued to work at the Fairfield Works’ Pipe Mill for the next three decades as the Alabama manager for Foerster Instruments, a German company that maintains the pipe mill equipment. He finally retired for good in 2011 at age 80, having spent some 62 years working at the U.S. Steel facility in Fairfield. In his typical unassuming fashion, Gordon credited his workplace success to the wonderful and supportive employers and employees he worked with rather than the strong work ethic and devotion to his co-workers that were the hallmarks of his career. He loved Alabama football but his greatest happiness came when spending time with his family. He and Gloria were constant companions and in their later years attended Lakeside Baptist Church. With the exception of his love for her, he loved nothing more than playing with his kids, grandkids and great grandkids when they were young. He treated everyone with dignity and respect and in his quiet, unassuming way made a positive impact on all he crossed paths with. The family wishes to extend special thanks to the caregivers and staff at The Cottages at St. Martin’s in the Pines and the hospice professionals at Encompass Health for the comfort and kindness they gave to Gordon and the family during this difficult time.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2020 from 12:00 to 1:30 PM with the funeral service following at 1:30 in the chapel of Currie Jefferson Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Valhalla Cemetery. For those family and friends who wish to make a charitable contribution in lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials can be made to the charity of one’s choice.