Arthur Ray Jones

Arthur Ray Jones passed away at his home in Hold - enville on Monday, April 17, 2023, at the age of 88 years.

Ray was the son of Arthur Jackson Jones and Mary Opal (Bailey) Jones.

He was born on June 14, 1934, in Lamar, Oklahoma, the youngest of seven - three boys and four girls. He was brought up in Lamar and at - tended Moss schools, gradu - ating Moss High School with the Class of 1953. Just out of high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His basic training ended on the day that the Ko - rean War ended, and the Army stationed him in Alaska. After military service he worked for a few years at the post office in Tulsa, and then began pipe - lining, the lifelong occupation that he loved. He married Vickey Smith on December 20, 1979 in Holdenville, and they loved traveling to various states to his numerous jobs in the oilfield. They lived for nineteen years in Lamar, then moved in 1998 to Holdenville, their home for the past twen - ty-five years. Ray was a mem - ber of Pipeliner 798 for more than fifty-five years and retired in February of 1997 as a pipe - fitter. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his loving wife, Vickey. They were members of the 4th & Broadway Church of Christ until the doors closed in 2020, and they transferred to the East Main Church of Christ where Ray loved at tending when he was able and loved all his brothers and sis - ters in Christ. He loved being around family and friends, and especially loved making peo - ple laugh.

Ray is joining many other family members who've gone on before him: his mom and dad, Jack and Opal Jones, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lee and Alyne Smith; his eldest daughter, Nancy Ann Bucher; two broth - ers, Leland Jones and Wallace Jones, and three sisters: Delo- ries Barnes, Wanda Lee 'Pat' Watts, and Nancy Thorp; two brothers-in-law, Earl Thorp and Oney Taylor; grandpar ents.

He is survived by his lov ing wife of forty-three years, Vickey Jones, of the home; three daughters: Susie Ross and Janea Bray, both of Tulsa, and Mary Anne Harris of Wag - oner; sister Merle Dean Taylor of Perkins, sister-in-law Rose Jones of Houston TX, son-inlaw Rodney Bucher of Broken Arrow; eight grandchildren, fif teen great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and neph - ews, other family members, and many friends.

There will be a memorial service with military honors on Saturday, April 22, 2023, 1:00pm at East Main Church of Christ, with Josh Moyer of -

ficiating.