Roger W. Jones

On Monday, September 14th 2020, Roger Jones ended his two-year long courageous fight with a very rare type of cancer called Chordoma. Roger was 71 years old. Roger was born in 1949 to Harlan and Geraldine Jones of Ridgefield, WA. His father, a second generation farmer, dedicated his life to a successful berry and vegetable farm. The family was well connected to the community, and served as a resource for families to earn money picking beans, strawberries, and cucumbers. Many families would bring children of all ages to work alongside their parents. The tales the Jones boys told of the life on the farm could now be called "legend". Roger took extreme pride in his roots and humored many people with stories of life on the farm. Roger attended Ridgefield High school, graduating in 1968. After high school, and using the buddy system, Roger joined the Air Force with his childhood friend, Jerry Bochart. During his service, he was stationed at Masawa air force base in Japan. Later, he served in Las Vegas, and Arizona. He returned home in 1973, attended Clark College, became a welder and married Debby Koethe in 1974. His first son Darren was born in 1976. He was then accepted to attend Eastern WA University, and moved to Cheney Washington. He stayed in Cheney until earning a Bachelor's degree and certificate in teaching. After graduation, he was hired for his first teaching position in Forest Grove, Oregon. After teaching a full year and living in Hillsboro Oregon, he decided to look for a teaching position closer to his still active family farm. Roger was able to get a position in Battleground Washington at Pleasant Valley Middle School teaching industrial arts. He continued to teach there for 35 years retiring in 2014 with the last active woodshop in Clark County. Through this time, he continued to support his mom and dad with the Farm, coached baseball, basketball, soccer and attended postgraduate school earning a Masters Degree plus 90 credits. Roger was a strong man who made friends wherever he went. He loved to do woodworking projects at home. His crafty, inventive nature was invested in his boys through things like building decks during the summer breaks, and building random wood projects at his shop. One of his bigger projects was the tiny house he built on the property he owned. He liked to garden, and play poker with his friends at the card room in La Center. He made his last 2 and ½ years happy in spite of his illness, taking each turn in the road as it came. To family and friends who knew him well, he was a very unique guy and could always make people laugh. He could tell a great joke and sometimes a long story. People loved to hear them. Roger had a vibrant, unique, charismatic, lovable personality and could always light up a room, as well as make anyone feel great just by being around him. There was no one he wouldn't befriend. We loved him deeply. He will never be forgotten. He is survived by his wife Debby, of forty six years, his two children Darren and Dan with his wife, and 5 grandchildren Charlotte, Jacki, Kati, Annabell, and Theodore. Thanks to hospice for all of their caring, compassionate help and for being there anytime of day or night. In lieu of flowers, in memory of Roger, a donation may be made to Firm Foundation Christian School in Battle Ground, Wa. Please send to remembrances to Evergreen Memorial Gardens.

Roger W. Jones

August 19, 1949 - September 14, 2020