Ruby Maxine Jones

Ruby Maxine Jones, daughter of Gaylord and Alice (Schaefer) Dimick, was born March 6, 1924, at her parent’s home in Bear Grove Township, Guthrie County, Iowa. She was joined by a sister, Doris 7 years later. Ruby passed away February 18, 2022 at the Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa at the age of 97 years, 11 months and 12 days.

Ruby attended rural school and graduated from Guthrie Center High School. She then taught rural school for several years. On May 26, 1946 she was united in marriage to Burnice Raymond Jones at the Christian Church parsonage in Shenandoah, Iowa. The couple rented farms around Exira, Iowa for a few years and in 1948 purchased a farm east of Exira on Littlefield Drive where they grew row crops, raised livestock, and milked cows. Ruby continued to teach rural school for a few years and then later helped full time with the farm. She always had a large vegetable garden, flower gardens and a small orchard. The couple operated the farm for nearly 50 years before sold it in 1998 and moved to Atlantic, Iowa. They loved to travel visiting friends and Burnice’s fellow Naval veterans. In 2005 her husband Burnice moved to the Atlantic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and later died December 9, 2010. Ruby lived at home, later moved to an apartment and then to the Heritage House Assisted living in Atlantic.

Ruby and Burnice were members of the Federated Church of Christ in Exira. Ruby loved to travel, visiting friends and family, and also went many places with her sister Doris including Hawaii, and several other trips. Ruby took a great interest in other people and never knew a stranger. She was a great story teller and listener too. Ruby had a great memory and was an expert at trivia, loved word games and puzzles and just visiting with people.

Preceding her in death was her husband Burnice Jones, her parents, her sister Doris (McCann) and brother-in-law Joe McCann, nephew Richard McCann, and nieces Beverly Brown and Lois Thygesen.

Survivors include her nieces and nephews, Randy and wife Sheri McCann of Guthrie Center and their daughters Kylie McCann and Emily McCann of Ames; Keith McCann and wife Julie of Menlo, Kevin McCann and wife Deborah of Adair and Lori McGinnis of Dayton. Todd Brown and wife Carol of Exira, Betty and husband Raymond Vais of Exira, Janice Sodoor of Newton, David Jones of St. Peters, Missouri, and Sandra and husband Bill Ireland of St. Edward Island. Ruby is also survived by several great and great-great nieces and nephews, other family and friends.

The family will meet with friends Wednesday morning, February 23, 2022 from 10:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. at the Exira Christian Church. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 A.M. at the church, conducted by Pastor Glen Meyers. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira, Iowa. The casket bearers will be Randy McCann, Michael Brown, Ayden Brown, Keith McCann, Kevin McCann, and Richard Johnston.