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<p><em>Russell Leon “Russ” Jones</em> was born just prior to Christmas, December 23, 1955, to Thermon and Patricia Jones in Harlingen, TX. He; his sister, Susan; and his three brothers—Keith, Mike, and Dave—travelled to a variety of places during their childhood years since their father was an Air Force officer. While his father was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, MI (Strategic Air Command), Russ and his twin brother, Keith, attended Oscoda Area High School, home of the Owls. Russ participated in track, basketball, football, and skiing in high school, as well as being in the Boy Scouts (Life Scout). </p>
<p>Russ applied for and received a presidential appointment to West Point. He joined the rest of us, his classmates, at Trophy Point on that hot July 8, 1974 afternoon for the swearing-in ceremony. Russ was a member of the I-1 “Iguanas” his first two years, where he played in the Cadet Band. During our yearling summer at Camp Buckner, we came to know Russ as a platoonmate in 2d Platoon, 3d Company (“The Wild Bunch”). Russ was moved to the C-2 “Circus II” during the class shuffle in 1976. Classmates universally recalled his quiet nature. He managed to do just enough to keep going academically. To avoid the Dean, he managed to find time for himself on the ski slope as a member of the Ski Club and a ski instructor. During the first detail of our senior year, Russ managed to keep a fifth of booze hidden from everyone, including his roommate, until his “secret” was discovered. Many don’t know that the space along the wall in the corner near the top of the closet in the rooms of the lost corridor of Central Barracks allowed for the panel to be removed and replaced easily, thus allowing for the “stash” to be hung from a makeshift device—a clothes hanger. Russ’s <em>Howitzer</em> dedication summed up his cadet life well: “Rare success resulted from Sac’s knack for meeting women. Russ, known most for his snuff and electronic wizardry, struggled through Cow Juice the way he fought all the Dean’s henchmen; in the end he always got through. Academics notwithstanding, winter found Russ on the ski slope down hilling his cares away.”</p>
<p>During Graduation Week, Russ’s family came to celebrate his accomplishment. Russ’s father, now a lieutenant colonel, was proud to swear in his son as a second lieutenant of Infantry on June 7th. After graduation leave, Russ headed to Fort Benning, GA for the Infantry Officer Basic Course. It’s here that Bill Graves, a fellow classmate and IOBC student, relayed an interesting story about Russ: “He and I would go whitewater canoeing in north Georgia rivers. I was always in the bow and Russ in the stern. I did not know until later that he was a big skier, which may have explained how he could adroitly paddle us around the bigger boulders and charted a good line down through the series of rapids that we always sought out. Russ was an easy-going person, always had time to chat and share his time. I found that his informality and good nature sometimes hid the drive he had; he had a backbone of iron that gave me confidence as we entered those higher-rated rapids back in those innocent days in Georgia. A fine person, professional officer, and a good friend for those who knew him.”</p>
<p>After IOBC, Russ went to Ranger School and then served with the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk, LA during his initial years of Army service. In March 1982, Russ dropped everything when a classmate asked him to serve as the best man at his wedding in San Jose, CA. Russ attended the Infantry Officer Advanced Course later that year and was then assigned to XVIII Airborne Corps, where he served until 1985, when he decided to leave the service. </p>
<p>After his time in the Army, Russ moved to Temecula, CA and later to Moreno Valley and Tustin, CA. He worked as an electrical engineer, primarily in quality control for the manufacturing of semiconductor integrated circuits. Russ had a passion for composing music on his electric keyboard and was quite the hidden pianist. He purchased an Austrian Pinzgauer 6WD military utility vehicle to go camping and off-roading. Russ enjoyed visiting his brother Dave in Redlands, CA and travelling annually to Poulsbo, WA to visit his brother Mike and Mike’s wife, Catherine, for the local Fourth of July parade and fireworks. </p>
<p>Russ passed away on May 15, 2012 in Tustin, but many still remember this quiet and unpretentious man. We, along with many others, miss Russell Leon Jones.</p>
<p><em>— Paul Reynolds, Bill Graves and Mike Jones, brother</em></p>
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