SALINA - Letty Jean Raver Jones passed away peacefully in her home on January 25, 2021. She was born on November 30, 1928 near Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Robert and Laura Raver. Letty grew up in the Sioux Falls area and during her high school years was involved in several theater productions, which she thoroughly enjoyed. After graduation and before meeting Maynard, she worked at the switchboard for the phone company and then as a bank teller. She took great pride in making sure that she always balanced checking accounts to the penny and made sure to impart that wisdom to the whole family. Letty married the love of her life, Maynard Jones on May 20, 1950. They had three beloved sons, Tom, Mark and Scott in Sioux Falls. In 1961, the family moved to Salina, Kansas to open Gibson's Discount Center. She and Maynard co-owned several Gibson's stores and later, Ace Home Center with her sons. Her sons remain owners/managers of the store.
Letty and Maynard celebrated 64 years of marriage before Maynard died in 2015. They loved to travel, visiting dozens of countries throughout their marriage. She was an elegant woman and consummate homemaker. Her family was her priority and was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother.
Letty was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church for 60 years, a member of the First Century Women's Club, loved meeting with her needlepoint group, playing penny poker monthly with her girlfriends and volunteering for the Emergency Aid Food Bank and St John's Hospital Auxiliary. She taught her daughters-in-law how to bake the best apple pies and had infinite patience playing hundreds of games of Go Fish with her grandchildren. She later introduced them to penny poker and many a family poker/popcorn night ensued.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard, her parents Robert and Laura Raver, her sister, Doris Eulberg, her brother, Ray Raver, her niece, Laurie Eulberg, her nephew, Randy Raver, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Roland and Rachel Jones, and her nephew, Doug Jones.
Letty is survived by her sons and their wives: Tom (Tamara) Jones, Mark (Carolee) Jones, and Scott (Alice) Jones of Salina. Her seven grandchildren: Adam (Natalie) Jones of Houston, TX, Dr. Brooke Jones (Jared Hulstine) of Sioux Falls, SD, Jennifer (Jim) Hubbard of Pleasant Hill, MO, Michael Jones of Overland Park, KS, Lindsay Jones of Tarpon Springs, FL, John Jones of Overland Park and Annie Jones of Overland Park. Her nine great-grandchildren: Sadie, Thomas, Olivia and Eli Hubbard, Benjamin Derr, Beck and Marit Hulstine, Myles and Cayleigh Jones, and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank Teresa Hoyt for her loving caretaking of Letty these past five years.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, January 29, 2021 at Ryan Mortuary, Salina. Because of Covid, the family will not be present. Letty’s funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 30th at St John's Lutheran Church, Salina, with interment immediately following at Gypsum Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St John's Lutheran Church or the Emergency Aid Food Bank.