Earl Ray Jones, 68, passed away in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, in Coquille, where he made his home.

Earl was born July 24, 1948, at the old Valley View hospital in Burns, and grew up in Hines. He was one of eight children born to Wm. Idris Jones and LaVon E. Safford, and attended Hines Grade School and graduated with the Burns Union High School Class of 1966.

After graduating from school, Earl worked for a year at Edward Hines Lumber Company, then joined the Army, completing basic training at Fort Polk, La. After spending some time in Germany, Earl was sent to Viet Nam, and received a Purple Heart after being wounded.

Earl was married first to Mary McKirdy and they have a daughter together, Carrie. Next, he was married to Judy Bebee, and then to Terrie Cass, whom he was married to for 34 years.

Earl and Terrie received associate degrees at Lane Community College in Eugene, Earl’s being in business law and computers.  They spent most of their life together near the coast, and lived briefly in Arizona, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands.

Terrie knits and paints, and Earl, wanting a hobby too, decided to try cross stitch. He also did decorative weaving of lawn chairs. Earl, soon became bored with cross stitch, no challenge he told his wife, and switched to counted cross stitch and made many beautiful framed pictures. Most of Earl’s counted cross stitch had a religious theme, for he told his wife it made him feel closer to God.

Earl is survived by his wife, Terrie; daughter, Carrie; brothers, John (Marilyn), George (Beverly), and David Jones; sisters, Martha Landers and Betty Mendoza; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Tom; and infant sister, Mary.

A small memorial service is being planned in the spring time.