Edward E. Jones

Edward Earl Jones, 93, of El Paso, Texas passed away on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was known as Ed to his friends, and Grump (the name given to him by his oldest grandchild) to his family and extended family. Grump was born on February 24, 1925 in Richmond, Virginia to John Jefferson Jones and Mary Ann (Faison) Jones. A child of the depression, he and his father used to pull a hand wagon around as they collected scrap metal for sale until his father landed a job with the railroad. As a member of the 1942 graduating class of John Marshall High School, World War II beckoned, and he answered. Joining the U.S. Army, he started as a medic and moved up to become an infantry officer, going through OCS in France during the war. He was on a troop ship headed for Japan when the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima ended the war. Sent to the Philippines as part of the Army of Occupation after the war, he met the love of his life, Benita (Nita) Andrea Torres. In 1948, they married and started a 64-year journey filled with love, children, and adventure. In 1950, Ed was deployed to Korea, by which time, they had two children with a 3rd baby on the way. On September 19, 1950, he was severely wounded by machine gun fire just after the Battle of the Naktong Bulge. Initially written off as dead, he recovered to return to Nita and father five more children and serve another 17 years. In 1967, he retired from the U.S. Army as Lieutenant Colonel, settling in El Paso, Texas for good. He was active in his church, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, and in his community at large. He was one of the founders of the El Paso chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and was active in it until just before his death. He was preceded in death by Nita in 2012, as well as by 3 of their children, Marie, Steven, and Lawrence, and one grandchild, Halie. He is survived by his remaining children (Edward, John, Teresa, William, and Raymond). He is also survived by his remaining grandchildren (Damien, Keavy, Allan, Robert, Ryan, Hope, Benjamin and Ceci) and his great-grandchildren (John, Avril, and Gianna), as well as, spouses, in-laws, and other extended family members. In lieu of cards and flowers, please consider a donation to the El Paso Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, 1801 Billy Casper Drive, El Paso, Texas, 79936. Its support of veterans and high school ROTC programs was near and dear to his heart. Visitation will be from 5:00pm to 9:00pm with Vigil/Rosary 7:00pm on Thursday, October 04, 2018 at Sunset Funeral Home Northeast. Funeral Mass will begin at 1:00pm on Friday, October 05, 2018 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 9025 Diana Drive. Committal Service to follow at 2:00pm at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with full Military Honors. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home Northeast. Please visit our online registry book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net.