Robert E. Jones, 95, of Eureka, S.D., died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, at his residence.
Robert’s funeral will be livestreamed on the Lien Family Funeral Care Facebook page and be available Wednesday night at MillerLienFH.com.
Visitation commences 5 p.m. Monday at Lien-Straub Chapel, Eureka, with a 6 p.m. prayer service.
Obituary as written by Robert:
(Feb. 14, 1926 — Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022)
Reading obituaries in the newspaper tells me of what the departed have accomplished. I would like to tell of the moments of my life that meant much to me.
I went to school in Aberdeen, South Dakota: Henry Neile Grade School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Central High School. Music was not my talent. On several occasions, I was asked not to sing. I was taught to “fake it.”
The morning after high school graduation I received a letter that said, “Greetings, you are to report for pre-induction physical ...” I entered the Army in 1944 and left in 1949.
I attended the Army Information School and also the Infantry NCO class at Fort Benning, Georgia. They taught me there was more to life than I realized. Then after marriage in 1949, I went to school at Northern State Teachers College. The next thirty-two years were spent in education (much at Lewis and Clark State College).
There were events in my life that had a lasting impression on me. The first Sunday after WWII in Europe ended, I went to a church service. It had snowed during the night and that Sunday was bright and the Alps mountains to the South glowed in the sunlight. I felt sorry for the chaplain because his back was to the view.
Later, in November 1947, we had just completed training for a journey to Alaska. It had snowed during the night but the day was clear. As we walked down the hillside, we had a constant view of Mt. Rainier to the West glistening in the sunlight. A sight I have never forgotten, just like the view of the Alps.
The first time on an airplane for me was the cargo plane known as “The Flying Boxcar.” While the plane was climbing, I looked across the plane to the window on the opposite side to see the ground in the distance. It felt like we were stationary and the land was falling away. On future take-offs the feeling never happened again.
Service, to me, in Alaska was like a paid vacation in Winter or Summer. Once I got up late at night to see the sun dip below the horizon and then appear again minutes later.
Another beautiful event in my life was the day Alice Hausauer and I were married in 1949. She was a beautiful bride and I still like to look at our picture.
There are many memories that I love to think of: births of our children, driving westward and watching the mountains grow. I always thought of those who crossed the continent in the 1800s and slowly saw the mountains grow. Driving, we covered more ground in a few hours than they did in months.
While in the service, I took part in the Honda Kayot Ceremony. Alice and I had three children: James, Alice and Paul.
Preceding me in death were my father and mother, three brothers and beloved infant daughter Alice (named after her mother).
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 at the Eureka United Methodist Church led by Pastor Shawn Abbas. Interment follows at the Eureka Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Fred Weller American Legion Post No. 186, Eureka, SD.
