Arves Edward Jones

Decorated World War II Veteran, Independent small business owner, Texas State Representative, El Paso City Councilman, Governor NM-WT Optimist, Community activist Born in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of a Choctaw Indian father and an Irish mother. He was one of twelve children and because of The Great Depression was forced to leave home at an early age to find work. As a result he traveled throughout America taking work wherever it could be found. He picked crops, dug ditches, and washed dishes in nearly 48 states. He had fond memories of the wheat fields of Kansas, the California orange groves and the Idaho potato farms. He also reminisced how picking cotton and strawberries was the hardest work that he had ever done. He met his wife of 62 years, Acelia Guzman, while working as a crane operator for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Arves,and at age 16, was the Extra Gang Foreman supervising over 100 employees and responsible for millions of dollars of materials and equipment. He worked with two Apache Indians, Bonifacio Chavez and his future father-in-law Simon Guzman. Bonifacio had been a reservation policeman during the time of Cochise and worked diligently with Simon to teach Arves Spanish. Arves was given the nickname “Casey” . As with many other young men during 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed Arves’ life dramatically. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in Deming, New Mexico July 5, 1942 when he reached his 17th birthday. He had previously enlisted when he was only 15, but his mother found out and made him get out. He went through boot camp in San Diego, jump school at Camp Miramar and then on to Marine Raider Training at Camp Pendleton. A specially trained Marine, Arves became a member of an elite group of men that often preceded the main invasion forces. He and his squad worked behind enemy lines constantly and he quickly rose to the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant of a Scout and Sniper Squad. He participated in Marine Corps operations in the Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Tarawa, Guam and Okinawa. He was wounded three times, a leg wound, an abdominal wound, and finally a head wound that ended his combat duty. Surgeons performed extremely delicate brain surgery to save his life and realistically did not expect him to either live let alone recover totally without any reidual neurological damage. A walking miracle he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1945 after having been awarded the Navy Cross, Purple Heart with two clusters, Bronze Star with Cluster, Silver Star, two U.S. Navy Unit Citations, and one Presidential Unit Citation. The family moved to El Paso in 1948 and through his hard work, dedication to excellence, and willingness to better himself became actively involved in his community. While working as the supervisor of the Bridge and Street Car Division of the El Paso City Lines he attended night classes in business school, took correspondence courses and eventually became a self-taught accountant, businessman, and served on the Board of Directors of an El Paso Bank. While working downtown on the bridges he became associated with Father Harold J. Rahm and worked with young south side gang members. This began a long list of community activities that continued until failing health curtailed his activities. Arves Jones was involved in many activities of El Paso: Guadalupe Refugee Center, El Paso Boys Club, Organizing the first Cub Scout Pac in Northeast El Paso, Boy Scouts, Trans-Mountain Optimist Club, YMCA, Civic Leaders Council, Kiwanis, Rotary and many others. For his community activities he has twice been awarded El Paso’s highest honor, The Conquistador Award, and was also twice awarded The Key to the City. Arves has served on the El Paso Civil Service Commission, The El Paso Parks and Recreation Board, Organized the Northeast El Paso Teen Employment Program, Juvenile Court Conference Committee with Judge Henry Pena, Northeast Concerned Citizens, and helped create the Bicycle Moto-Cross Track in Northeast El Paso. He has also been a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Eastside Civic Association and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Coalition. Arves Jones was elected in 1982 to the Texas State Legislature and was re-elected twice more by a significant percentage. During this time he served on the Natural Resources, County Affairs, Vice-Chairman of Ways and Means, Chairman of County Affairs subcommittee, Chairman of County Fees and also on the Retirement and Aging Committee. During his time in Austin he was named as one of the most effective Legislators by Texas Monthly Magazine and identified as the second most highly decorated veteran serving in the Legislature. Arves was instrumental and a guiding force in passing legislation to rebuild Railroad Drive, Completion of the North-South Freeway and completion of Loop 375. During his tenure in the Texas Legislature “he sought action rather than headlines” (El Paso Times Sept.1987) and worked effectively on a variety of issues: repeal of the Blue Law, neighborhood -based homes for the retarded, stiffer DWI penalties, Proposition Zero to help finance education, higher salaries for teachers, clean air standards, limits on campaign spending and a consolidated statewide water plan. After leaving the Texas Legislature, Arves Jones served one term on the El Paso City Council and served as its Mayor Pro-Temp. During this time he was instrumental in locating Cohen Stadium in the Northeast, locating the El Paso Police Department Northeast Regional Command Center in its present location, and the development of Painted Dunes Golf Course. Arves’ health prevented him from seeking re-election. He rededicated himself to running the family business and staying active in the community. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Acelia Jones; three children, Arves Jones Jr., wife Shelley, Wayne Jones Sr., wife Laura, and Martha Castillo, husband Al; five grandchildren, Wayne Jones Jr., wife America, Caelum Jones, wife Suzette, Synamon Williamson, husband Phillip, Jason R. Messer, wife Connie, and Amanda Silva, husband Christopher; 12 great grandchildren, Sarah Luna, Annika Luna, Iylish Furlow, Kody W. Jones, Dylan W. Jones, Isabella Jones, Victoria Jones, Julianna Messer, Alexandra Messer, Rolando Rodriguez, Jacob Rodriguez, and Citlaly Silva and soon to be great-great granddaughter Kaesey Redenius due on March 30th. He is preceded in death by his parents and granddaughter Angalee Jones. Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, February 14, 2008 at Sunset Funeral Homes–Northeast, 4631 Hondo Pass, with a vigil/rosary at 6:30 p.m.. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 15, 2008 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Donations may also be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, In Memory of Arves Edward Jones Sr. MD Anderson, P.O. Box 4486, Houston,TX 77210-4486. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home-Northeast.