Richard Thomas Jones

Richard Thomas Jones, 73, passed away August 14, 2014. He was born January 4, 1941 to Joyce Mary Coleman and James Richard Jones.

He had a wonderful childhood. He was a boy scout, an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He could often be found on a horse, or at his grandparents, Guy and Theresa Coleman’s home, if not there you could find him at his great grandmother Emily Springer’s.
In school he enjoyed baseball, basketball and football and was a drummer in the High School band. The girls remember him as good-looking, kind, fun, and often laughing. He graduated from Wasatch High in 1959.

At 14 he was hired as a wrangler at the Homestead, he later worked for the US Forest Service, and as a miner in Park City and for Wasatch County. He also shoed horses and did a little horse and gun trading on the side.

He attended Brigham Young University, where he majored in art. It was there he met his first wife and love, Luella Carol Lee, they were married June 1962 and had two children Carole Lee, aka Kelly and James Peter Jones, aka Pete. Dick and Carol were married for 17 years. Together they provided a beautiful childhood for their family, horses, camping, jeep trips, fishing, dance lesson, boat trips to Lake Powell, waterskiing, snow skiing with grandma Betty Jones and our Uncles, a large variety of pets, huge Christmas’s. For a couple years Dad held a small rodeo in our arena during Swiss Days. We were taught to be honest, hard working, to stand up for ourselves and to be kind to all.

Dick’s second wife was Joan Gamangasso, they were best friends and stayed together 14 years.

He was very proud of and loved his grandchildren. He had a very close and special relationship with his oldest grand-daughter Jessica Marie and her husband Eric and great grand-daughters Chloe AnnMarie and Kenlie Jane Sweat.

He was a member of the Heber Riding Club, Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and was a Democratic Chairman for Wasatch County.

Dick is probably most known and recognized for his leatherwork and as a saddle maker. He was an artisan, a passionate perfectionist, his craftsmanship and talent were beyond compare. He made beautiful custom saddles, halters, belts, chaps, etc., unlike any other.

He was a self taught musician, he played guitar, banjo, harmonica to name a few. He had a deep voice, and sang like his favorite, Johnny Cash. Dick loved cutter racing. He and his brother-in-law Jay Thacker, won the world championship cutter races one year.

Whether it was horses, racing, music or leatherwork, if it was important to Dick, he was persistent, dedicated and diligent until he had it mastered. He could have charged more for his work but he was never interested in wealth, he maybe could have sang professionally but he never wanted fame.

He loved Midway, it was his home, his heritage, from which he never strayed far. His Pioneer ancestors on his mother’s side of the family, were original settlers of Midway valley. His grandfather Henry Coleman Sr. was the first man buried in the Midway Cemetery. Jeremiah Robey and a friend of the prophet Joseph Smith, a carpenter, hung the doors on the Nauvoo Temple. Other family pioneers and settlers of Midway were Matilda Robey, Peter Aplanalp, Nathan and Emily Springer, Margarett and Elijah Alder. Dad’s ancestors on his father’s side were original settler’s of Heber, Joseph Stacy Murdock, also a close friend of Joseph Smith, Sally and John Murdock, and Richard Jones to name a few. Dick was very proud of his ancestry. He had an amazing memory and was a great historian of Wasatch valley.

He had a quick wit, a giant heart and a great laugh. He was an honest, tough, hardworking self made man. A man of integrity. He spoke his mind, he never minced words. He was generous to a fault, a hero to the underdog, a good friend and father. He had a deep love and pride in his family and work. He was an original, a true cowboy, a real man in every sense of the word.

He is survived by his son James Peter “Pete” Jones, and daughter Carole Lee “Kelly” Neal, (Scott), grandchildren Jessica Sweat (Eric), Tyler, Coleman, Wade Weaver and Tommy Neal. Great-grandchildren Sean Tyler Weaver, Chloe and Kenlie Sweat. Sisters, Valerie Thacker (Jay), Mary Kaye Atkinson (Farrell), KrisAnn Craig, Carol Boehme, Dixie Olds and brothers, Kenny Craig, Curt, Randall and Craig Jones and his sweet step-mother Betty Jones and his gracious Aunt Rose Coleman Hoyt.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father and his brother Scott Jones.