Lee S. Jones

1940-2020

Lee S. Jones, age 80, passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at Christopher House surrounded by his family. Lee was born on February 20, 1940 to Janie Evelyn and George Elmar Jones in San Antonio, Texas. He joined the Air Force after graduating from High School in San Antonio. Lee was trained as a Russian Linguist and deployed to the military base in Samsun, Turkey. The next assignment brought him to Bremerhaven, Germany.

In August of 1960 his buddy, Stan Coster invited him to his wedding to Maria Schuette in Bremerhaven. At the reception he met one of the bridesmaids, Anita Sudmann. Before Lee was reassigned to Samsun, Turkey, he and Anita were engaged. Anita emigrated to the USA in 1963 and they were married in Key West, Florida on August 13th in the base chapel.

Lee spent 26 years in the military, with assignments to Turkey (twice), Germany (three times), Shephard AFB, Wichita Falls, Washington, D.C., Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and his last assignment at Bergstrom AFB, Austin. While stationed in Ramstein, Germany, Lee studied in the evenings and received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree through the Maryland University. While stationed in Myrtle Beach he completed his studies for his Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Once retired from the Air Force, he worked for Tracor Inc, ILC Space Systems in Houston, Chrysler Technologies in Waco, TYC in San Saba, ending with teaching computer systems at McCallum High School in Austin.

Lee and Anita raised two boys; Stefan, born in Wichita Falls, and Bertram, born in Washington, D.C. They were a close knit family and supported each other through thick and thin. It will be hard to be without Lee. Also surviving and left to mourn him are, his sisters Millie Jones and Linda Jones; sister-in-law, Mary Jones; daughter-in-law, Niki Jill; grandchildren, Scotty Jones and wife Julie, Heather Whiteley and husband Mark, Shane Jones and wife Monica, Daylan Wright, Daniel Jones and fiancée Karly, Frances Atha, Kate Atha and husband Kerry Weaver, Daniel Atha and wife Samantha; his beloved great-grandchildren, Alaina, Carlie, Piper, Cooper, and Connor. He will be very much missed by his in-laws Adele Kurz and family, Karl Heinz Sudmann and family, and Fredi Sudmann and family, all in Bremerhaven, Germany, and his good friends Ingrid and Wolfgang Geintzer and family in Stuttgart, Germany.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother George, and his parents-in-law Heinrich and Bertha Sudmann in Germany.

Lee was a Knight at St. Catherine of Siena and belonged to the Oak Hill VFW Post #4443. He enjoyed the comradery at their meetings and gatherings. In September of 2016 he received the news that he had prostate cancer, stage 4, and during the following three and a half years Lee endured chemotherapy, radiation, tests, IV treatments, broken bones and surgeries, and pneumonia, but he never gave up his will to live. Sadly, the last fall was too much for him.

Thank you to all of his relatives, friends, Dr. P. Chadha and his team, Dr. M. Dawson and his care team, Dr. S. Wang and his team, Dr. C. Yang at North Austin Urology, and Dr. D. Martin at St. David’s Hospital for being there and guiding him through this last journey, and thank you to the Krafty Ladies from St. Catherine’s.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with Recitation of Holy Rosary at 5:00 PM, led by Deacon Jesse Casarez on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Funeral Mass to take place at 10:00 AM, celebrated by Father Pat Coakley on Monday, March 2, 2020, at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. Interment to immediately follow at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Meals on Wheels, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, or Hospice Austin’s Christopher House.