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Alta Jones, 98, of Greenfield, formerly of Stuart, passed away Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at Greenfield Manor. Visitation was held 9:30-10:30 a.m. Friday, March 3 at the Johnson Family Funeral Home. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 3 at the Johnson Family Funeral Home in Stuart. Services were live-streamed on our Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/JohnsonFamilyFH). Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, rural Stuart.
Alta LaVae Slaybaugh was born Aug. 5, 1924, to John and Mary Slaybaugh, at home on a farm in northern Guthrie County. She accepted Christ Feb. 18, 1939, at the age of 14, at the Union Chapel northwest of Dexter. Alta loved the Lord and had a great desire to see others come to know the Lord. Alta and her husband, Lester, had daily Bible reading and prayer. They were instrumental in establishing Bethel Baptist Church in Stanzel, where Alta was the church pianist and a faithful Sunday School teacher.
Alta was interested in music from an early age. Her parents bought a 3/4 size violin for $2 for her to start on and she started taking lessons in the third grade. Along with violin, she excelled in piano and organ, often playing for church services and special events.
She took classes in high school in preparation for the state exams, which she passed to earn her teaching certificate to teach country school, grades kindergarten through eighth grade. In May 1942 she started teaching school at Harrison No. 3, which was located one mile west of Fairview Church, seven miles south of Stuart. Alta lived all her life in the Fairview Community, never living more than two and a half miles from where she and Lester began their married life.
Alta was introduced to Lester Jones by Lester’s grandmother, Malona Sellers, who lived across the street from Alta’s family. Alta and Lester were married Feb. 5, 1945, in the parsonage of the Friends Church in Stuart, with the Rev. Edna Hutchins performing the ceremony. To this union, five children were born: John (1946); Paul (1947 died in infancy); Glen (1951); Carl (1955) and Cheryl (1964). Alta loved caring for her family whether it be by baking fresh cinnamon rolls or a special birthday cake or by sewing a fancy little dress or patching jeans.
Alta and Lester moved to Greenfield Manor in May 2012. Lester passed away June 18, 2016, and Alta resided at the Manor until her death. At the time of Lester’s passing they had been married for 71 years.
Survivors include: son John (Karen) Jones of Colby, Kansas, and grandchildren John Jr. (Brandi) and Kay Ann (Josh) Schneider; son Glen (Vernelle) Jones of Greenfield and grandchildren Brian of Greenfield, Brenda (Cameron) Hamer of Greenfield and Susan (Marlan) Currier of North Pole, Alaska; son Carl (Lucy) Jones of Stuart and grandchildren Sarah (Kent) Gross of Henderson, Colorado, and Stacy of Arvada, Colorado; daughter Cheryl (Paul) Harris of Council Bluffs; and 11 great-grandchildren.