Joseph Burke Jones

Joseph Burke Jones, loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on January 24, 2016.  Burke was born on March 6, 1926, to Joseph Pearl and Almeda Gunnell in Dividend, Utah.  He was the third oldest of six children.

Burke moved to Howell Valley in 1935, at the age of 9.  He joined the United States Army—a paratrooper of the 11th Airborne—and served in WWII on the USS Baron, in the Philippines, Korea, and Japan.  After his service, Burke married his sweetheart, Clotiel Hawkes, on November 15, 1946, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised their six children in Howell Valley.  He farmed 360 acres of irrigated land for forty plus years.  He concluded his farming years when Clotiel’s kidneys failed and he focused his time caring for her until she passed away in 1995.

Burke fulfilled many responsibilities and callings as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints.  He fervently studied and ever expanded his knowledge of LDS Church history and the Standard Works.  He will be remembered for his gifts of knowledge, his beautiful tenor voice, playing the harmonica, his sense of humor, and his incredible memory—never forgetting birthdays, anniversaries, favorite scriptures, and special events.  He was athletic and took up cycling, riding up and down the Wasatch Front.  He even rode all the way to Evanston, Wyoming, at the age of 70, and over Trapper’s Loop at 79.

Burke was preceded in death by his wife, Clotiel Hawkes; his parents, Joseph Pearl and Almeda Gunnell Jones; his brother, Van Leroy Jones; his two sisters, Annalee (Nathan) Butterworth and Gloria (Robert) Hall; four brothers-in-law; and his infant granddaughter twins, Risee’ and Rachelle Oyler.

He is survived by two sisters, Betty (Vere) Jenson of Salt Lake City and Bonnie (Evan) Christensen of Bothwell; six children, Sherilyn (Tom) Smolka of Clinton, Diana Marie (Ted) Oyler of Tremonton, LaDawn (Robert Scott) Teuscher of Roy, Kenneth Burke (Sandy) Jones of Hayden, Idaho, Kelly Mondell (Sharla) Jones of Provo, and Rebecca Leigh Nordstrom of Clearfield; as well as 26 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.

Services will be held on Friday, January 29, 2016, at the Oakhills Chapel at 1410 East Gentile St., Layton, Utah. Funeral services begin at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m.  Interment will be at the Logan City Cemetery.

As a family, we would like to express our love and appreciation to Kristen Muse who, like a devoted granddaughter, has unconditionally loved and cared for Burke for more than 11 years.  Kristen, Burke, and other family members traveled together, visiting China, England, Panama, and many places across the United States.  We extend our sincere appreciation to you, Kristen, and your wonderful family.

We also thank all who have cared for our father at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, the Layton Rehabilitation Care Center, McKay-Dee Hospital, and Rudd Funeral Home as well as the combined veterans of Box Elder County for the military honors provided.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to The Perpetual Education Fund or LDS Missionary Fund.