MELVERN - Mary Kathryn "Mary K." Jones was born September 7, 1930, in Fairfield, Iowa, one of five children born to Jesse Dale and Kathryn May (Ryan) Green. Even though she was born in Iowa, she grew up on the family farm three miles east of Melvern on the "River Road". She departed this life on May 8th, 2024, in Osage City, Kansas at the age of 93 years, 8 months, and 1 day.

She attended the Rock Creek one-room schoolhouse east of Melvern before transferring to Melvern Schools where she graduated in 1948. While attending school at Melvern, she was a classmate of her future husband (although they didn't date until after graduation). On August 10, 1951, she married Bill F. Jones in Garnett, Kansas. They enjoyed over 63 years together, raising two children, Kathryn "Kathy" and William "Butch". Bill passed away on August 12th, 2013.

Mary K. attended Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia, KS where she earned a teaching certificate. She taught for one year in Valley School, a one room schoolhouse three miles west of Melvern, then a 2nd grade classroom at Melvern Schools for two years. After her marriage to Bill, he was drafted and she went to work in the offices at Santa Fe in Topeka, KS until he was discharged. They then purchased and made plans to move to their family farm southeast of Melvern where she was a homemaker and helped on the farm. After her children graduated high school, she sold Avon around the Melvern community where she loved to get out and visit with her customers. She lived on the same farm until 2018 when health issues necessitated a move to Vintage Park Assisted Living. Mary K. loved living on the farm and helping Bill farm the land and raise cattle, especially driving tractors and grain trucks.

Mary K. was a member of the Melvern Methodist Church, served as an election worker, helped with the Legion Auxiliary, a member of Tequa Aid Auxiliary, and was a member of Booth Grange. She enjoyed playing Canasta and eating lunch on Wednesdays with her friends at Melvern. Weekly coffee gatherings were delightful for her as well. Honestly, Mary K. loved her Melvern community.

Mary K. and Bill loved sports and followed their children and grandchildren to numerous sporting activities - grade school, high school, and college. They also watched many college and pro sports on TV.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill; her brother Dale Green and his wife Jane; sister Juliette Burnett and her husband Grover; Margaret Patterson and her husband Otis; and a brother-in-law, Wayne Litch.

Survivors include her sister, Phyllis "Pat" Litch, Melvern, KS; two children, Kathryn "Kathy" (Neil) Mickelson, Lyndon, KS; William "Butch" (Sonya) Jones, Melvern, KS; seven grandchildren, Rett (Gloria) Mickelson, Heartland, TX, Dusty (April) Mickelson, Warr Acres, OK, Chris (Erica) Mickelson, Lyndon, KS, Scott (Jessica) Jones, Melvern, KS, Blake Jones, Melvern, KS, Deidra (Tanner) Jessup, Gas, KS, and Matt Jones, Little Elm, TX; fifteen great-grandchildren, Dmitri, Feliks, and Milo Mickelson, Henry and Quinn Mickelson, Mae and Marti Mickelson, Dex, Collins, Lincoln Jones, Audrey, Brogan, and Kendall Jones, Wiley and Mesa Rae Jessup.

Visitation for Mary K. will be Thursday, May 16th, from 6:00p.m. to 7:30p.m. at the Feltner Funeral Home, Lyndon, Kansas. Funeral services will be Friday, May 17th at Melvern Methodist Church, Melvern Kansas, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Melvern Cemtery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Melvern Community Center, the Melvern Methodist Church or Vintage Park Activity Fund, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Avenue, Lyndon, KS 66451.

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Vintage Park of Osage City for all the love, care, and support they provided our mother/grandmother. It was obvious the staff and residents loved her very much and her life was enriched.