Leona Louise Jones

Leona Louise 'Jonesie' Jones was born May 27, 1917, at Minneola, Kansas. She was the daughter of Albert and Florence (Ussery) Goll. In 1929, Leona moved from McPherson, Kansas, to Ottawa, in Franklin County, Kansas, where she made her home, until her death Friday, December 5, 2003, at the age of eighty-six years. Leona worked for the Ottawa Herald for twenty-five years, fifteen years as circulation manager, and the last ten years, office manager, retiring January 1, 1979. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ottawa, former ambassador of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, former member of Ottawa Business and Professional Women, serving as president in 1960 and, again, in 1962, and represented the Kansas Federation, as citizenship chairman at the twenty-first conference in Washington, D.C. She was elected to the Silver Haired Legislature, as the Franklin County representative for three two-year terms, serving on the board of directors the last two years, and elected chairman of the six-county PSA for the last two years. She was a former president of the Ottawa chapter of AARP, and volunteered for, and served on, the advisory board to the Mid-America Council on Aging, later known as the East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging. She also served on their policy board. She was a member of the Franklin County Aging Service, which decides how to distribute the one mill levy for the aged, and member of the Kansas Coordinated Transit District, which includes nine counties. She was a former treasurer for the Franklin County Salvation Army. Their work included the angel tree for needy children and ringing of the bells at Christmas time, to help needy people in Franklin County. She was also a former member of the Ottawa Girls' Club board of directors. Leona was an outgoing, gracious lady. She dedicated her life to the organizations she belonged to, and loved and enjoyed her many friends and caring for her poodle puppies. They were so precious to her. On September 21, 1937, Leona was united in marriage with Arthur