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Jones, PFC Lee Roy Jr. (1929-2010)
Jones, Lee Roy Jr
Obituary
2010
Funeral services for Lee Roy Jones, Jr., 80, of Sealy, Texas, Friday, September 10, 2010 at Knesek Bros. Funeral Chapel, 768 Fourth St., Sealy, Texas 77474 with Rev. Becky Downs officiating. Interment in Millheim Cemetery.
Pallbears for the service are his nephews, Gordon Goebel, Randy Goebel, Sterling Schiller, Bryant Schiller, Robert Anderson and friend, Bill Rhodes. Lee Roy Jones, Jr. died early Sunday, September 5, 2010 at the age of 80. He was a tough old cowboy who survived two bouts of cancer, various surgeries and Parkinson's disease, but it was his battle with emphysema that finally did him in. He put up a heck of a fight and lived a lot longer than expected. He was born November 3, 1929 in a rent house in Hempstead, Texas. His parents, Roy and Rose Lee Vanhowten Jones lived in Raccoon Bend for several years before moving to Conroe where Lee Roy graduated in 1947. His dad, some of his brothers and some uncles worked for Humble oil in the Raccoon Bend, Katy and Conroe Companies and Lee Roy did too, putting in over 37 years. Lee Roy loved horses and had them all his life, from the time he was a kid up to his death. He raised and trained them for calf roping and sold some at rodeos he participated in (this was B.C., before children). The other cowboys would give him a hard time because he would rope in a pair of black Converse high tops instead of his boots. Lee Roy explained that he got better traction in them and had a better chance of winning, any prize money he won was spent on his horses. Lee Roy loved telling stories about his horses; the first one he bought cost him $25, a lot of money for a kid in the 1940's. One of his favorite stories was when he was around 20 years old and "went to see a man about a horse" Lester Goodson, who owned a Pontiac dealership in Houston had a ranch in Montgomery County and had a reputation for breeding good quarter horses. Things were different in the 1940's because Mr. Goodson invited Lee Roy in to talk horses when he knocked on his door. It always meant a lot to him that Mr. Goodson treated that horse-crazy kid with respect. Lee Roy had a buddy whose family had a lot of cows that ran loose in the Piney Woods outside Conroe, always eager to help them work cows, he said it wasn't work when you got to sit on a horse all day. Drafted in 1951 and sent to fight in Korea put a stop to his rodeoing. His army buddies teased him because his letters home were about the care and feeding of his eight horses, not some sweetheart. When his favorite horse died during the war his mama told the family members not to tell him fearing it would kill him. After returning from Korea in 1953, Humble Oil gave him his job back and a choice of gas plant locations. He picked Katy because throughout the 1950's the town had rodeos on a regular basis and there were also ones at Cypress and Valley Lodge in Simonton. Lee Roy was an intelligent and talented man who could make anything he needed. He took up leather working to make belts and bridles and repairing his saddle. Needing a horse trailer, he taught himself to weld. His welding skills would one day lead to a promotion at work. He also made a wooden car from plywood, bicycle tires and a lawnmower engine. The bright yellow "Buggy" got him to work and all around the 1950's Katy and on to Sealy for family visits, wanting to practice his roping, he also built himself a small rodeo arena. Lee Roy married Waldine Schiller on February 21, 1955 after a whirlwind courtship. They met when she helped him with a purchase at Max Kroener's dry goods store. When his buddies wanted to know why he was suddenly going to Sealy every day he told them he had to buy horse feed. He suffered from two crushed vertebrae when he was thrown from Lil Bit, a filly he was training about eight years ago, tough and stubborn he thought he could do at "72" what he used to do at 22. A few weeks before his death, when he could still say a few words, he was giving his grandson, John advice on how to care for Lil Bit. Lee Roy was preceded in death by his parents, Lee Roy and Rosa Lee Jones; his brothers, Archie, Eddie Ray, Henry, Arvil and Gordon; sisters, Burta (A.G.), Marie and Mildred;son-in-law, Bubbie Hintz. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Waldine Jones of Sealy, daughter, Jennifer Hintz of Cat Spring; daughter Tracy Cendalski and husband Charlie of Brenham and son, Toby Jones and wife Helen of Sealy. Lee Roy had four grandchildren he loved more than anything; Katie Jones Goebel and husband Wes, John Jones, Sydney Cendalski and wife Lauren and great-grandson Carter Goebel. He is also survived by his sister Erna Jo Dixon of Humble and brother Melvin Jones and wife Ruby of Conroe. Lee Roy also leaves behind his horse Lil Bit. Lee Roy is being buried by his son-in-law Bubbie Hintz. |
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Jones
Lee Roy Jr
19855
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