Clair Jones

Clair Jones, 76, of Genoa, passed away Saturday, February 27, 2021 at his home.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 5, 2021 at Augustana Lutheran Church, Genoa. Visitation will be Thursday, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. also at the Church.  Interment will be at Friends Cemetery, Genoa. The funeral service will be broadcast live on the McKown Funeral Home Facebook page. To access the page, CLICK HERE .

Clair M. Jones was born December 13, 1944 in Ottumwa, Iowa to LaVerne and Myrtle (Smith) Jones. Clair was raised in Davis County IA and attended school in Bloomfield, IA through his Sophomore year of High School at which time the family moved to Mesa, AZ.  He completed High School in Mesa and was a member of the Varsity Baseball and Football team.

After high school, he became the dairy manager of Beals Farm Dairy in Chandler AZ.  Beal's was the only licensed raw milk dairy in AZ.  It was a true farm to table dairy operation that offered a unique combination of agriculture and retail.

Clair met Sharon Mounger while residing in Arizona and they were married on July 17, 1964 in Twin Falls Idaho the summer before Sharon's senior year of high school.  They had 2 sons: Glen and Clint, In 1972 they moved to Nebraska.   Clair came to Genoa to manage the livestock operation for the Ramakers Charolais Farm and continues to produce purebred Charolais cattle today.  In 1979 Clair and Sharon started Jones Farms and Hoof Trimming.  This consisted of a Dairy Farm as well as a Hoof Trimming business.  The hoof trimming business serviced Dairy farms in 4 states over the next 30 years.

Clair always had horses and competed in rodeo and roping.  In 1986 he purchased a Quarter horse stud and started Jones Driftwood Horses.  He produced and exhibited many world show qualifiers, PRCA finals horses, and most recently the 2020 Reserve World Champion Junior Calf roping horse.  He was passionate about horses and the many families that those horses brought into his life.

Clair was also a member of Nance County Board of Supervisors, Big Brothers & Sisters of America, 4-H Clubs of America, American Quarter Horse Association, American International Charolais Association, as well as countless local youth sports organizations.

After Sharon passed, he reunited with lifelong friend Theresa Payne of AZ and they were married on April 3rd, 2016 in Queen Creek AZ.

Clair is survived by:
Wife: Theresa Payne Jones
Children:
Clint Jones fiancée Angela Sutton of Genoa
Glen Jones of Genoa
Denton Payne and wife Dawnie of Morgan Mill, TX
Brothers:
Dr. Clark Jones and wife Patricia Jones of Cave Creek, AZ
Douglas Jones and wife Marcene of Mesa, AZ
Chris Jones and wife Lori of Mesa, AZ
Sister:
Aletha Catheryn Smith of Mesa, AZ
Grandchildren:
Chelsea Wilcox and husband Jason of Henderson, NE
Parker Jones and friend Danielle Coble of Genoa, NE
Reid Jones and fiancée Taylor Kirby of Silver Creek, NE
Tyson Jones of Grand Island, NE
Jackson Jones of Ankeny, IA
Allyson Sutton (Greg) of Lincoln, NE
Taylor Sutton of Tecumseh, NE
Shyanne Sutton and fiancee Kalin Koch of Norfolk, NE
Brady Payne of Bluff Dale, TX
Masen Payne of Morgan Mill, TX
Great-grandchildren:
Campbell Wilcox
Bergan Wilcox

He was preceded in death by:
Parents: LaVerne and Myrtle Jones
First wife: Sharon (Mounger) Jones
Brother: Mark Jones