Wenonah Ellen Jones

Wenonah Jones passed away to meet God on July 1.  She has been waiting to be with her beloved husband, Bob, and finally reunited.

Wenonah was born on September 2, 1921 in Chowchilla, CA. to Florence and Lee Davidson.   She lived there for a few years until her parents moved to Anaconda to open the Turf Café and Bar on Main Street.  She worked off and on in the café until she married Robert Jones in 1937.  They had four children.

She was a 4-H Leader for many years helping her children and others.   She taught members to cook, sew, garden and shared various home improvement tips.  She submitted her own prize winning entries at the Deer Lodge Tri-County Fair.

She was a member of Pythian Sisters, after many years she took the office of Supreme Secretary for the international organization and held it for ten years.   She was also a member of Eastern Star and Garden Club, and helped with Job’s Daughters.  She was an Elder and the Receiving Treasurer for the First Presbyterian Church until she was 98 years old.

After Bob died in a car accident in July 1964, she went to work in the Clerk’s Office at City Hall, which later merged with the County and was there until her retirement in 1985.

She always enjoyed her time traveling for the different organizations and took a special trip to Europe with Bonnie and Art after retirement.

Some of her favorite hobbies were sewing, cooking, baking, canning fruits and vegetables, crocheting, working jigsaw puzzles, making greeting cards, playing games be it crossword, Yahtzee, Pinochle or Cribbage, (which was her favorite) and watching the Game Show Network.  She made delicious cinnamon rolls, bread, date cookies and fudge that everyone loved to receive and her family and friends will miss.

During her short stay at the Anaconda Community Nursing Home, she played bingo and learned a new game Skip-Bo.  She enjoyed playing with the people there and, of course, winning!

Her mind was still sharp at 102 yrs. old and if someone said or did something that she didn’t approve of, she would tell them about it.  Everyone loved that about her and laughed about it. She was a woman with grit, tenacity, resilience and perseverance.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Jones, sons-in-law Tom Rice and Art Lazzarini, daughter-in-law Judy Jones and great-granddaughter Emily Rice.

She is survived by son Bill Jones, daughters Carol Rice, Bonnie Lazzarini and   Roberta (Jerry) Haggerty.  Grandchildren: Tony Jones, Bobbie (Aubrey) Smith, Tommy Rice, Dana Rice, Jason Rice, Jerry (Melissa) Haggerty and Josh (Sarah) Haggerty. Great-grandchildren: Elizabeth Evans, Megan Smith, Justin Smith, Shelby Haggerty, Julia Haggerty, Justin Haggerty, Joshua Haggerty and Lucy Haggerty and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Nursing Homes for their generous care.  They all loved her and she in turn loved them for all they did for her.

Memorial gifts are suggested for the Smelter City Senior Center Meals on Wheels, Copper Village Museum & Art Center, First Presbyterian Church, Garden Club or a charity of your choice. She will be buried on the same day – July 20th – that the love of her life, Bob, was buried 60 yrs. ago.  Memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at the First Presbyterian Church at 11:00am with a luncheon to follow.

Please visit the side bar to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Wenonah.

Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for Wenonah and her family.