Ronald Paul Jones of Tehachapi, California, reached the end of his earthly toils on April 30, 2022, in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 85. 

He was born on October 9, 1936, in Los Angeles, California, to Alma Pritchard and James Paul Jones, the middle of three boys born to Alma and Jimmy Jones. As a child, he enjoyed camping with his family and visiting his grandmother in Long Beach, where they’d have campouts in the backyard. In elementary school, he met his childhood best friend, Don Ward, when they were nine years old, and the two stayed friends throughout their entire lives, even when they lived thousands of miles apart. Ron loved music and enjoyed playing the saxophone. His first job was at Sandy’s grocery store, making 50 cents an hour.

Ron met Wanda Rogers at Garfield High School, and they were married on May 14, 1955. Ron and Wanda lived in East Los Angeles and had three children together, Ron Jr., Randy, and Sherri. Ron worked for General Motors for about a year and then went to work for the railroads for a time before beginning his career in the oil industry, working for Valvoline Oil. Ron and Wanda divorced, and in 1968, Ron married the love of his life, Lily Kepplinger, with whom he adopted two children from South Korea, James and Jennifer. His job at Valvoline brought them to Ventura in 1970, and a few years later, Ron and Lily opened their own business, Monroe Supply, in Oxnard.

After selling Monroe Supply, Ron remained in the oil industry, which continued to be his career until he retired. In 1990, Ron and Lily moved to Atascadero, Calif., where they lived until 1996 when they moved to Tehachapi. Ron loved Tehachapi’s beautiful hills and trees and felt it was the most beautiful home he’d had.

Ron always loved to build things. When he was little, he made his own scooter out of a wooden box and wheels off of a pair of roller skates, and he decorated it with coke bottle caps. In retirement, Ron took up woodworking as a hobby, and when his first great-grandchildren came along, he made them customized potty chairs. 

Ron and Lily enjoyed offroading and were members of the California Condors offroading club. He was a longtime volunteer member of Ventura County Search and Rescue, participating in numerous rescue efforts. He was a longtime fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He and his boys enjoyed going to games together regularly.  

Ron Jones was a longtime member of the Freemasons. He joined in 1983, as a member of the Poinsettia Lodge in Ventura. He was Worshipful Master of Atascadero Lodge 493 in 1994. He was most recently a member of Tehachapi Lodge 313, where he held several offices and was awarded the Hiram Award in 1999. He was also a Grand Lodge inspector for many years. 

Ron is survived by a large family. He will be missed by his brother, Leonard Jones (wife Irene), sons Ronald Jones Jr (wife Karen) and Randy Jones (wife Joan), daughters Sherri Scott (husband Jay) and Jennifer Lister (husband Joe), 11 grandchildren, Tracy Elgart, Ronald Jones III, Laurie Guidi, Nicole Mohr, Natasha Davis, Natalie Newbill, Cole Davis, Billy Davis, Tiffany Lister, Joseph Lister, and Lily Lister, and 15 great-grandchildren, Vincent Mohr, Hannah Elgart, Mia Guidi, Tiana Mohr, Ronald Jones IV, Noah Elgart, Isabella Newbill, Olivia Newbill, Giuliana Guidi, Tommy Jones, Luke Newbill, Cylas Mathias, Isaiah Newbill, AvaLee Mathias, and Timothy Jones, as well as numbers of nieces and nephews. 

He is predeceased by his wife, Lily, his brother James Walter Jones, and son James Josef Jones. 

The memorial service will be held at 9:30 am at Wood Family Funeral Home in Tehachapi, Calif., on Friday, May 20, 2022.