Barbara Jones

Barbara Jane Jones, age 95 of Kerrville, passed away Tuesday, July 3, 2018 in a local care center. She was born to Edward Earl and Gladys R. Hoskinson in Portland, Texas on September 17, 1922. \r\n \r\nAt the age of six weeks, the family moved to a farm between Portland and Taft and this is where Barbara grew up. Her brother, Wayne and her sister, Muriel were born on the farm and they learned to enjoy farm life. During their grammar school days, Barbara and Wayne rode a Shetland pony to school in Portland. Barbara helped her dad during cotton picking season by weighing the cotton sacks as the pickers brought their pickings to the wagon. It was always a great treat when they would go to Corpus on Saturdays and could have a nickel A&W Root Beer.\r\n \r\nBarbara graduated from Taft High School in 1939 and attended Southwestern University in Georgetown for one year before enrolling in Draughan's Business School and graduating with a business degree. \r\n \r\nShe lived on the farm until her marriage to Tolbert Jones in March, 1942. They both worked in Corpus Christi during World War II and later moved to Taft and Sinton. In 1950, they returned to the Corpus Christi area and Barbara went to work for J.K. Kalb Co. She had worked for the company for 14 years when Mr. Kalb decided to retire and gave Barbara half of the company. She found a partner and continued for another seven years at that job. After surviving Hurricane Celia, Tolbert and Barbara decided to move away from the coast and they moved to some acreage they had bought near Fredericksburg. They then bought a location on Hwy. 290 and built the KOA which they operated for seven years. Their children attended Rocky Hill school during the KOA years. After both began having medical problems, they decided to sell the KOA and, loving the Hill Country, decided to make Fredericksburg their home. Barbara spent about two years in retirement and decided to return to work. She answered an ad for a Police Dispatcher and was hired. This was entirely new but she thoroughly enjoyed the work and became known as "Mrs. J" to all the officers. Tolbert and Barbara enjoyed the semi-retirement years and made frequent trips to Branson, Missouri which they really enjoyed. In 1995, they decided they should down-size and put the property on S. Washington for sale. Being unable to find a smaller home that they liked, they started looking in Kerrville and found what they were looking for in Vicksburg Village. When Tolbert died in 2002, Barbara decided to down-size again and bought in a senior Mobile Home Park - Rio Robles - which is in the center of Kerrville. Barbara was very happy with the decision and spent her remaining years with the friends and neighbors she made at this residence. There was always something going on and you could be as busy or unbusy as you wanted to be. Barbara was active in her church and enjoyed the Circle which she had chaired for many years. She was also active with the Board of Directors at Rio Robles and served on the board as Treasurer for six years. She also hosted the Halloween Chili Supper each year for eight years. During these years, Barbara made several trips which were great. She went to Ireland on one tour and to the Canadian Maritime Provinces on another. And for her 90th birthday, she celebrated by doing an Alaskan Cruise and land tour. This was great fun and when she returned from the trip, she celebrated again by having a Birthday bash.\r\n \r\nBarbara was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tolbert; one son, John Robert Jones; and one daughter, Margaret "Maggie" King.\r\n \r\nSurvivors include son, Michael Lee Jones; daughter, Tina and husband, Kim Goff; daughter, Millie and husband, Arthur Barnett; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.\r\n \r\nMemorial services will be held at 10 AM, Saturday, July 21, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Kerrville, officiated by Rev. Mike Williams. \r\n