ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Mr. Edward Eugene Jones,  81 years old, formerly of Farina, Vandalia, and Clinton, passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, January 23, 2021, at the Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.

Funeral and military burial rites will be held on Friday February 5, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. at the Siedner Cemetery, rural St. Elmo, Ill. with the Rev. Kent “Pee Wee” Denton officiating. Visitation will be held for the family and friends the same day at the cemetery beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Edward was born in Farina, Ill. on October 11, 1939, one of seven siblings into the family of William and Cleta Hawkey-Jones. Edward enlisted in the United States Navy on November  1, 1956, at the age of 17 and received an Honorable Discharge and completion of his service duties on October 31, 1962.

Edward lived in Farina, Vandalia and Clinton, and then moved to Florida in 1967. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He will be greatly missed.

In addition to raising two children, he worked outside the home throughout his life as a laborer and a master welder.

Edward is survived by wife, Patricia Jones, and son, Clyde Jones, and his children, Eric and Kelly Jones, of Fort Pierce, Fla.; daughter, Rita (husband Rob) Rice; their daughter Brittany, and her daughter Alana Rice, of Baker, Fla.; three sisters, Mary (Robert) Thomas, of Swansea, Ill.; Barbara (husband, Richard) Taylor, of Bloomington, and Martha Vale, of Altamont, Ill.

Edward was preceded in death by his parents, William and Cleta Jones, and three brothers, James Aaron, (wife Tonya) Jones;  Lewis Earl (friend, Dorothy Seibert), and Clifford LeRoy Jones; and two nieces, Sherry Jones-Tappenhagen and Angela Jones-Moyer,

Memorials may be directed to the family or a charity of the donor’s choosing.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.kullfuneralhome.com