Edwin L. Jones

Edwin Luke Jones, 88, of Benton Harbor, went to be with his Lord and Savior just inside the Eastern Gates of Heaven on Monday, October 24, 2005 at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, October 27, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, with Rev. J.T. Dunn officiating. Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens in Coloma. Visitation will be on Wednesday, October 26, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service. Those wishing to send a condolence message or share a memory may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Edwin was born on January 27, 1917, in Columbus, Kentucky, to Fred Luke and Vera Mae (Stacy) Jones. Edwin was the oldest of eight siblings. He served in the U.S. Army during WW II. He helped build the SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond, California. He also served in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the war. Edwin was a punch press operator at Whirlpool Corporation, retiring in 1980. He loved his family, especially spending time with his grandchildren. Edwin is survived by Dorothy (Shelton) Jones, his wife of 65 years. They were married in Caruthersville, Missouri, on May 3, 1940. Also surviving are his four daughters, Sandra (Herschel) Newton, Benton Harbor, Carol (David) Shepherd, Benton Harbor, Shirley (Robert) Blaylock, Kalamazoo, and Melinda (Bobby) Perkey, Coloma; 13 grandchildren, Maria Hutchins, Brian and Curtis Newton, David, Kevin, Jason, Jerrod Shepherd, Rhonda Wallace, Jonathan Liedtke, Robert and Todd Blaylock, Tia and Joshua Whitehead; 22 great-grandchildren; brothers, Robert (Violet) Jones, Springfield, MO, Franklin (Janice) Jones, Cape Giradeau, MO, sisters, Anna (Raymond) O’Neal, Bloomfield, MO, Dorothy (Loren) Wilson, Bloomfield, MO. He also is survived by a sister-in-law, Nola Jones; special son-in-law, Albert (Diana) Liedtke; and two special nieces, Judy Dunn and Marsha Domke. Edwin was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Barbara Liedtke; great-granddaughter, Kayla Shepherd; and three brothers, G.H. Jones, Ollie Jones, and Junior Jones.