He is preceded in death by his parents, Loren and Vera (Matherly) Jones, sisters Beverly and Phyllis, and brothers Mark and Ed.
David was born in Branson, Missouri on May 29, 1956 at 8:45 in the morning. He grew up in Reeds Spring, MO until the age of 6. Then he was in Cassville, MO. until he was 9. At the age of 12, they moved to Jacksonville, LA. before settling in Warsaw during David's junior year in high school. He graduated with the class of 1974 from Warsaw High. David enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycling, and leatherwork. He was an admired member of law enforcement and dedicated his career to public service. In 1977 he joined the Warsaw Police Department and moved up the ranks to retire as Chief of Police in 2017. That retirement lasted for four days, when he joined the Benton County Sheriff's Department as Corporal. He was just hired back on with the Warsaw Police Department as a reservist.
David was a God-fearing man who never met a stranger and had the love and light inside of him to find light through any storm. He mentored troubled teens, pillow fought mouthy toddlers and reasoned with, instead of punishing unreasonable adults. He was a protector. He took the meaning of that word and used it to its fullest whether at work or at home. He loved to read about war and guns. He loved to read and further educate himself. Always intrigued with knowledge. David was that person that you could call if you needed advice.
He could school you on useless information and if you were feeling down, you could count on some nonsense bantering coming your way. He had the corniest jokes that he would laugh at so much while you just looked at him and shook your head. He loved his family with all that he had in him. No matter how many times they moved, if his kids called for help, he was there. He loved spending time with his grandkids, spoiling them and trying to instill them, too, with useless knowledge. He loved to play jokes and set up pranks on people. He loved messing with others, just to get a rise. Then he would laugh for way to long about it. He would, over time, remind you about that one time. Except it would be funnier to him each time.
He thought a lot, then he'd say "Did you know...". He loved to share his thoughts and educate others. He loved cars. The older, the better. He was proud, he was proud of the life he had built, the uniform he put on every morning (even if he said otherwise!), he was so proud of the home he had built with his wife and he was proud of his family. He bragged about how fast his patrol car was and how fast he would actually go.
He loved to laugh, he loved to encourage, he loved to love. He is our Hero! He gets to go into the book as a Legend! Fly high and rest in peace.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 6:30 P.M. at the Reser Funeral Home in Warsaw, Missouri. Family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. at the funeral home. There will be a funeral service on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at the Ozark Bethel Chapel Church in Roach, Missouri at 6:00 P.M. with the family to receive friends from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. at the church. The family has request memorial contributions be made to the Benton County Cancer Fund in David’s memory, c/o Reser Funeral Home, P.O. Box 910, Warsaw, Missouri 65355.
