Olive Irene (Nelson) Jones

Jones, Olive Irene “Bubs” (Nelson)

January 5, 1924 – April 10, 2021

North Battleford, Sask.

Mom was born and raised on a farm in the Prongua district, southeast of the hamlet of Gallivan. She was the fifth of nine children.  She had fond memories of her upbringing in a small but warm home where all family members shared in the chores, and she had pleasant recollections of her school years and the one room schools she attended. After high school, she moved to Battleford where she embarked on a career in office work during which she met her future husband, Albert Edward (Ted) Jones.

Mom and Dad had four children, which is the size of family that Mom knew she wanted from the time she was nine years old. Although her dreams hadn’t considered that all of her children would be boys, she claimed she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way…perhaps she wasn’t aware of all that the Jones boys got up to in their day. She did say there were times when their antics left her with “my heart in my mouth”, but she also had a feeling of pride that “only a mother of four sons can feel”.

Mom went back to work part-time in 1965 in Field Title Services and enjoyed her time there, other than the cold office; her aversion to air conditioning resulted in her retirement in 1973. Mom and Dad liked socializing and travelling with family and friends in their younger years. After Dad died in 1997, Mom moved from the family home to an apartment and later to Caleb Village. Her final move was to Harwood Manor where she lived for the last five years and where she appreciated being reunited with long-time friends, Phila and Helen.

Mom relished her role as the matriarch of the family. She was always interested in what was happening in the lives of her boys and their families, and she kept us all updated on each other’s news. She had a variety of interests that included reading, crossword puzzles, cross-stitch, knitting, and jotting down her thoughts in the journals she updated daily for most of her life. She knitted mittens for all of the family and also for the local Boys and Girls Club. As her eyesight deteriorated, she switched from library books to reading books on her iPad. The iPad also allowed the family to email her photos regularly which she always looked forward to. When she could no longer see, her days were largely spent talking on the phone and listening to streaming music on TV.

Mom was predeceased by Ted, her parents (Harold and Enid) and all of her siblings.  She will be missed by her sons and their families: Daryl and Frances, grandchildren Ash and Erin; Ron and Irina, granddaughters Ariel (Xavier and great-grandson Koa) and Hana; Brian and Sandy, grandchildren Cam, Karen (Scott and great-granddaughter Isabelle) and Michelle (Corey); Doug and Julie, grandchildren Chris and Angela (Phil and great-grandchildren Logan, Abby and Madeline).

A memorial service will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the CNIB (https://cnib.donorportal.ca – In Memory of Olive Jones).

The family thanks the staff at Harwood Manor for giving such good care to Mom.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Trevor Watts of Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium.