Joanne Lee Jones, 78, of Perry passed away peacefully on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at the Eden Acres campus of the Perry Lutheran Homes.
Visitation will take place from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home-Perry Chapel. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10 at the First Baptist Church in Perry, followed by interment at Junction Township Cemetery in Grand Junction, Iowa.
Born April 3, 1946, in Des Moines, Iowa, Joanne was the daughter of Claude and Ruth (McCrea) Jones.
She attended Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri, from 1966 to 1968 before beginning working as a social worker in southern Iowa. In 1970 she enrolled at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1972. That same year, Joanne was accepted for missionary service by Baptist Mid-Missions.
From 1972 to 1974, she worked as a statistical assistant at the Lucas State Office Building while also raising funds for mission work from 1973 to 1976. She attended language school in Costa Rica from 1976 to 1977 in preparation for her missionary service in the Dominican Republic, where she served from 1977 to 1990. Her work included terms in Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Cristobal.
In the fall 1990, Joanne transitioned to Spanish-speaking ministries in Perry, where she had the honor of establishing the community’s first Hispanic ministry. This ministry became part of Evangelical Baptist Missions in 1991, and she served with them until their closure in 2011.
From 1991 to 2007, Joanne also taught ESL to children and, in her final two years, worked as a translator for the Dallas County Public Health Department. She later served with the Central Missionary Clearinghouse in Houston, Texas, and continued teaching adult ESL classes.
Joanne is survived by her sister, Janet (Larry) Imel of Springdale, Arkansas; brother, James (Barbie) Jones of Independence, Missouri; nieces and nephews, Loretta (Ray) Mansell of Springdale; Paul (Jessica) Imel of Bentonville, Arkansas; Sarah Jones of Henley, Missouri; Josh Jones of Independence; Beth (Jake ) Thompson of Lathrop, Missouri, and Rachel (David) Marshall of Lowell, Arkansas. She is also survived by numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Ruth Jones.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for a later designation in Joanne’s name. Online condolences can be shared at www.caldwellparrish.com.
