Thomas Frederick Jones

October 13, 1939 - September 26, 2016

Thomas Frederick Jones, 76 of Central City died September 26, 2016 at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln. He was surrounded by his family and a trusted medical team. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. Friday, September 30, 2016 at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home with Nathan Musgrave officiating. There will be no visitation. Burial will be ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬at the Rosewood Cemetery near Palmyra at 4 P.M. on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to the Central City Heartland Veterans Memorial or the Grand Island Humane Society. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com. Tom was born Friday the 13th of October, 1939, on a kitchen table in Wymore, Nebraska. He was raised by his grandfather, Fred K Neumann, grandma, Margerite Neumann, mother, Dorothy N Jones, and aunt, Mary Jane Neumann. Tom graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1962 with his 2nd Lt. Commission through the R.O.T.C. program. After joining the Army, he was stationed in Germany with the 11th Armored Cavalry on the German-Czech border. He had many jobs throughout his career, but the jobs most indicative of his success were the jobs of husband, father, and boompa. Tom was united in marriage to Betty Ann Dowding on October 3, 1970. He described her as, “The best thing that ever happened to me.” They had three children together. He was a man with a beautiful imagination, creating art throughout his adult life. He was a wonderful cook and his creative expression continued in the kitchen. Tom set a strong example for his children by loving his wife well for six days shy of 46 years of marriage. He was a passionate advocate and protector of all animals, often demanding that recently captured spiders be set free outside. Tom had a fantastic, strange sense of humor that he passed along to all three of his kids. A Godly man who loved Jesus, Tom, had a deeply rooted faith until the end. Tom said, “It was a good life and I learned to take it one day at a time.” He is survived by his wife, Betty; his daughter, Heather (Scott) Christopher; his sons, Derek (Alison) Jones, Tyler (Jacki) Jones; eleven grandchildren; one cousin; and his best buddy Benson. He is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; and aunt.