Dene Jones, 85, of Brookings and formerly from the Erwin area, died Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017 at the Arlington Care and Rehabilitation Center in Arlington from complications from a stroke. 

Memorial services celebrating Dene’s life will be held at the Erwin United Church of Christ Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Marjie Brewton presiding. Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. Monday at the Johnson-Henry Funeral Home in Arlington. Burial is at the Erwin Cemetery, followed by fellowship at the Erwin American. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Erwin United Church of Christ, Erwin American Legion Post 241 or Erwin Cemetery.

 Dene Hugh Jones was born on Jan. 11, 1932 near Erwin, on the farm of his parents, Daniel Patrick and Tena (Noem) Jones. Dene was baptized at the parsonage of the Lutheran Church in Lake Preston. He graduated from Erwin High School in 1950. Dene attended additional schooling at Lake Area Vocational Institute in Watertown for mechanics. Dene served in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Phoebus, Virginia, from 1954-56.  

He married Shirley Gunn of Vinton, Iowa on Oct. 23, 1955, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa,  followed by a honeymoon in South Dakota for pheasant hunting. Dene returned to finish is Army duty.  Upon his discharge from the Army, Dene returned to farming on his parents homestead east of Erwin, living only a mile from his birthplace.  He farmed for 45-plus years, walking through the same door 63 of the 65 years he lived on the farm, most of that time with his father and brother. He retired in 1998 and he and Shirley moved to Volga. Dene worked at Walmart in the hardware and paint section and also as a greeter. Afte

r Shirley’s death Dene lived in Brookings. Dene enjoyed hunting and fishing throughout his life. For 44 years he was a very active and devoted member of the Erwin American Legion Post 241.  

Dene so loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  No one was ever a stranger, Dene loved visiting with old and new friends and he had a gift to gab with anyone.  

Dene is survived by a daughter, Beverly (Allen) Begalka of Volga; a son, Bryon (Ccompanion Marie) of Brookings; four sisters-in-law, M. Marilyn Jones of Erwin, Charlotte Myer of Oxford, Iowa, Rosie Wallace of Freeport, Illinois and Leota Gunn of Toledo, Ohio; five grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and 10 great-grandchildren.  Dene was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, an infant sister, Beverly Jones, his son, Steve Craig and brother Dale; four brothers-in-law and five sisters-in-law.