Frances Elloise Jones

Frances Elloise Jones went home to glory on October 13, 2017 at the Younger Center of Manor Park in Midland, Texas, after courageously living with Alzheimer’s for the last few years. Frances was born August 17, 1932 in Ballinger, Texas (Runnels County) on the Barron family farm to Robert Lee Wheeless and Nina Lucy Barron Wheeless. She was the eldest of three children. She attended first through fifth grade at Spring Hill School, a country school that was located on the north east corner of the Wheeless farm, west of Ballinger. She then attended Ballinger Grade School, until her father relocated the family to Marfa in 1946, where she attended Marfa High School, graduating in 1950.

In the early 1950’s, a young man named Junie Leland Jones, was transfer to Marfa with Southwestern Bell Telephone, where he met Frances and they were married on December 4, 1954. In their early days of marriage in Marfa, she worked for a doctor’s office and West Texas Utilities, and spent the weekends enjoying road trips with Leland. In 1956 Leland was transferred to Midland with the phone company, and they made Midland their forever home.

After the move to Midland, Frances was eager to continue pursuing her education and career. She attended Midland College, earning her Associate Degree and then attended the University of the Permian Basin, studying Accounting and Finance. Soon after she accomplished her goal of achieving her CPA. Frances took great pride and joy in her career, working with Leibrock, Landreth, Campbell & Callaway, then later joining Sipes, Williamson & Associates, and spending many years with Williamson Petroleum, where she was Senior Vice President and Treasurer at the time she retired in 1989. Frances was also honored to spend her time involved in various professional and community service groups in Midland and Cloudcroft, NM. She was an officer in the Desk and Derrick Club, spent many years involved with the Permian Basin Petroleum Accountants Society, and served as president in 1988. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of Midland International Airport during the construction of the new airport; she served as officer, director and president of Twin Forks MWDCA in Cloudcroft; and was also a Deaconess at Memorial Christian Church.

Upon retiring Frances focused her time on her own computer & software development company, Genesis Data Systems, Inc. They were pioneers in a remote, electronic data collection software used in collecting oil field data by way of a handheld devise nearly a decade before the first iPhone, and they managed many large oil & gas companies’, computer systems. She so enjoyed working with the Genesis team, it really was the cherry on top of a very fulfilling and successful career.

Frances & Leland cherished their time together, whether it was working on their home or on their beloved cabin in Cloudcroft where they spent many days from 1966 until it was sold in 2006. They loved their travels as well, which grew from those early days of road trips to 14 cruises, visiting all but 3 of the 48 United States, along with Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia, Panama Canal, Japan, Taiwan, China, Portuguese Macao, Hong Kong, Thailand, British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Monaco, Turkey, West Indies, and Bermuda. One of their most notable and memorable experiences was the opportunity to fly to Paris on the Concord.

Frances loved animals! They had Pekinese in the early years of their marriage, and then Chows, until their champion Chow, Oso, died in 1999, follow by a cat that “adopted” them appropriately named “Cat”, turning Frances into a cat person. She loved to support Lone Star Animal Sanctuary and would often collect blankets and food to donate, they loved to purchase duck food to take to the ‘the duck pond’… anything to help an animal in need.

Frances loved her husband, her animals and she absolutely cherished her years of hard work and achieving her career goals. She was a pioneer for women in accounting and particularly in the Midland oil and gas industry. Over the years Frances encouraged other women to pursue their personal and professional goals, inspiring many to strive forward.

Frances was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and younger brother William Barron Wheeless.

She is survived by her niece and her husband, Suzann and Allen Haechten, nephew Clayton Hutchinson and his wife Levi, and her sister Linda Bash.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at Ellis Funeral Home Chapel. A private burial will follow in Ballinger, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to Lone Star Sanctuary would have made Frances very happy. Suzann and Allen would like to thank all of the people you have cared for Leland and Frances over these last 14 year, especially the Younger Center and Star Hospice staff. Donations to either would also be a wonderful remembrance of Frances and Leland.

Online condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com