Dallas W. ‘Dally’ Jones, 84, of rural Wingate passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Franciscan Health Crawfordsville.
He was born Oct. 24, 1936, near Rob Roy in Fountain County, son of the late Carl Willard and Sylvia Marie Miller Jones. He married Joyce Davis on Sept. 8, 1957, at Wingate. She survives.
Dally was a member of the first graduating class of Coal Creek Central High School in 1954. During high school and for a few years following, he was employed at the Wingate Elevator, where he unloaded coal from train cars and delivered feed. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served two years. Following his discharge, Dally went to work for Jim Robinson at Robinson Implement Company, an International Harvester dealership in Wingate. He was employed there as a mechanic until he was able to begin farming full time in 1975.
He had served on the Wingate Town Board and the Wingate Volunteer Fire Department. Dally was a hard working, kind, soft spoken gentle man … he quietly supported his community in ways most people will never know. Dally would do for others with no expectation of anything in return. His generous heart, often found him giving of his time to others. He was a partner in the ‘ Spartan Group’, which was formed to keep the local restaurant open. He was a voracious reader and a student on World War II history.
Dally had the unique ability to look at, or listen to farm equipment and figure out what was wrong, and repair it. His knowledge of International Harvester balers was well known throughout the area and he was often called upon to help local frustrated farmers with repairs. Dally was truly a steward of the land. He was proud of and loved his family. With Dally, farming was both an avocation and vocation … he was always busy! The Wingate community has again lost one of its finest.
Surviving, along with his wife Joyce, are two daughters, Carla Marie (Phil) Rice and Carol Janette Jones, both of Wingate; brother Dale Jones of Wingate; grandchildren, AJ (Krystal) Rice, Daina (Conrad) Gregor, Daniel (Kim) Rice, Andy Rice and Tim Rice; great-grandchildren, Dalen, Aiden, Charlotte, Makena and Tyler; and nephews, David and Mark Jones.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister-in-law Kathryn.
Visitation hours are 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 at Family and Friends Funeral Home of Wingate, with funeral services at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26, with Pastor Duane Mycroft officiating. Burial will follow in Turkey Creek Cemetery south of Wingate. Memorial contributions may be directed to Marie Canine Cancer Center or Hopes and Promises Preschool Ministry. Dally’s family ask everyone to routinely do something nice for someone else expecting nothing in return … Be like Dally! Please follow the recommendations of the Indiana State Board of Health for COVID-19.
