Obituary of Delores Ethel Jones

Jones, Delores Ethel, 91, of Brooklyn Park, previously of Champlin. Delores was welcomed into the arms of her Heavenly Father on Friday, May 31, 2024. Preceded in death by her loving husband Helmar “Bud” Jones, her parents, Axel and Ethel Hildrum, her daughter Diane Jones, her brother Norman Hildrum, her sister-in-law Karen Mason, and close cousins Jerry and Joyce Gravdahl. Delores and Bud celebrated a loving marriage for 56 years, and are now reunited in heaven. Survived by sons, David (Cindy) and Doug (Karla); precious grandchildren, Amanda Jones, Katie Rivard (Ric), Emily Johnson (Erik), Erik Jones (Katie), and Peter Jones (Claire); great-grandchildren Bella, Lisbet, Bjorn, Annika, and Axel, and sister-in-law, Sharon Hildrum; nieces, nephews, and many relatives and friends.

Memorial Service will be on Saturday, June 15 at 11 AM, Zion Lutheran Church, 1601 4th Ave, Anoka (763-421-4656), with visitation one hour prior. Private family interment, Champlin Cemetery.

Delores loved life, was always joyful and happy, and so proud of her family. To the very end she would remark about how blessed she was. She loved traveling and camping, picnics, chocolate (she would say her middle name was chocolate!), hot dogs cooked on the grill (preferably burnt!), and anything that involved a group of people. She was a great cook, and made unbelievable potato salad.

After moving to Champlin from St. Paul in 1965, she became an active member of Zion Lutheran Church, including being in a women’s circle with a group of women for over 50 years. She worked for a couple of different retail businesses in Anoka before settling into a long career with Anoka County. After 49 years in Champlin, she moved to Tradition, a senior building, in Brooklyn Park in 2014 . She was always busy playing cards or a game with friends, or doing crosswords or picture puzzles, and winning in Scrabble to the very end.

Delores and Bud were loving people, and while they did not call it that, they were heavily involved in the ‘ministry of showing up.’ If there was a wedding or funeral or baptism or graduation, or anything else important, or if there was someone in need or there was a job to be done, they were there. They showed up. God’s work, their hands.