The Loop Newspaper - Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide

On the morning of Jan. 4, Ronald K. Jones of Tehachapi passed away at the age of 84.

Ron was born to Stella Clementina Jones and Lewis Calvin Jones in Los Angeles, California and grew up in the suburb of La Canada. Growing up, Ron was a fun-loving prankster who was always keeping his older siblings, Beverly and Bobby, and friends on their toes, as they never knew what sort of trick or prank he would surprise them with. His very creative antics that he displayed in his youth were early signs of his natural talents that would later reveal his passion to live life to the fullest.

In academia, Ron earned a degree in Forestry and then in 1960 he joined the California Smokejumpers of the U.S. Forest Service. With incredible drive and bravery, in his first year as a rookie, Ron made five fire jumps in one week on his way to a single season new man record of 16 fire jumps. After serving a few years as a Smokejumper, Ron entered the U.S. Army in 1962 and served as an MP (Military Police) and was stationed in Korea. Aside from being highly adventurous, Ron was notably skilled as a "sharpshooter" and finished 1st in class in Rifle M14 and as an Expert in Carbine and Pistol at the Military Police Section, Headquarters and Service Company at Two Rock Station in Petaluma, California.

Ron had a profound love and respect for the outdoors and mother nature, which he inherited from his mom. Where his mom captured the beauty of nature with the poetry and music she wrote, Ron did so by placing hands to soil. Sometime after being honorably discharged and retired from the U.S. Army, Ron started his own landscape architect business. His love and wisdom for all the different types of plants and trees revealed yet another talent, in which he possessed the creative vision and ability to provide beautiful landscaping for his many clients that were truly works of art. The successful landscape business he started, which originated while living in Southern California, blossomed when he moved to Tehachapi in the mid '80s.

Moving to Tehachapi was a bit of a homecoming for Ron, where he worked on a ranch during the summers as a teenager, and in later years had family-owned property in Cummings Valley. His heart was in and belonged to Tehachapi.

Ron was a man of great honesty and integrity. He believed in creating and making your way in life through hard work. He felt complete and in harmony when working with his skilled hands, planting a future to be enjoyed by many for generations. Ron never lost his fun-loving and infectious sense of humor, which would always catch you off guard, but would bring a belly-breaking laugh and smile that would lift your heart and spirit at just the right moment. He loved the smell of an oak burning fire while sharing a conversation of life learned lessons and wisdom that he would bring to the young at heart. With his steel-blue eyes that matched the color of skies he used to fall from, Ron saw beauty in nature and truly "jumped" into life headfirst. He led life in a way that he knew was precious beyond our understanding, and he did so with a burning fire within to live it in a way to inspire all that knew him.

Ron certainly touched and shaped many lives, where he placed a glowing ember of his adventurous and life-giving spirit that remains within us today, tomorrow and forever.

Ron is survived and remembered by his life-long partner and wife, Earlaine; his sister, Beverly; three sons: Kent, Ryan and Milt; three grandchildren: Treven, Kyra and Jessica and his two nieces: Lindsay and Stephanie.

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now, rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

Wood Family Funeral Service has been trusted with His care. For condolences, please visit http://www.woodmortuary.net/.