Charles A. Jones

He was born in 1940 in Longmont, Colorado, where he was raised in a Swedish Lutheran family. He earned his Eagle Scout rank at age 16 and was active in DeMolay during his high school years, being a Master Counselor.

He attended the American River College in Sacramento, California, where he was student president, then the University of California Berkeley from 1960 to 1963, where he graduated with a degree in Earth Sciences. He served in the US Navy from 1963 to 1967 as air transfer officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CVA63 and served three tours during the Vietnam War. He then attended the University of Oregon, Eugene, graduating in 1972 with a Ph.D. in Geology.

Charles married Martha Dunn in 1972 during his graduate school years and then moved to Nebraska, where daughter Kirsten was born in 1974. He held the position of assistant professor of Earth Sciences at Chadron State College, during which time he was co-principal of development of the Hudson Meng Paleoindian bison kill site. In 1975 the family moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where Charles worked for a series of Department of Energy support contractors, making significant contributions to the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) project (he wrote the book on uranium assessment in sedimentary rocks), the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) project, and the Long Term Surveillance and Maintenance (LTSM) project. He retired in 2006.

In 1991 Martha preceded Charles in death. He married Gertraud Conner in 1994. Together they traveled extensively, visiting every continent except Antarctica. Their life embraced a multitude of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, backpacking, and x-country skiing. Music was among his many interests, and he served many years on the board of the Grand Junction Symphony, including two years as president. He was a 30-year member of the Western Colorado Chorale and sang for many years with the Revelers at Renaissance fairs and annual Boars Head Feasts. A lifelong philatelist, he was connected to and held memberships in the US Stamp Society, the Colorado Postal History Society, the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library, and the Hong Kong Philatelic Society. Charles was a member of the Geological Society of America; was a registered geologist in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and reciprocating states; and belonged to the Sigma Xi Honorary Research Society and several other professional societies. He was a member of the American Lutheran Church for over 40 years, and had multiple involvements, including council president, cantor and lector.

Charles is survived by his wife, Gertraud; daughter, Kirsten Corbitt (Rick); cousins, Robert Mullen of Casper, Wyoming and Patricia Mullen of Roseburg, Oregon; nephew, Conor; and niece, Maggie.

A celebration of his life will be held at American Lutheran Church, 631 26 ½ Road, on June 15, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope of the Grand Valley, P.O. Box 532, Fruita, Colorado 81521; the Union of Concerned Scientists, Two Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02138; and American Lutheran Church at 631 26 ½ Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506.