Paul Jones

Paul King Jones, 80, passes away on Dec. 29, 2016, in Cheyenne, Wyo.

He was born in Thermopolis, Wyo., on September 18, 1936, to the late Paul Adell and Mary Marie (Kiraly) Jones of Thermopolis, Wyo.

Paul grew up on the east bank of the Big Horn River near Kirby, Wyo. The family raised a variety of livestock and maintained a substantial garden. At a young age, Paul's responsibilities included tending sheep, living on his own while protecting himself and the livestock from predators, herding the sheep onto summer pasture in the mountains southeast of Dubois, moving them from Kirby to Owl Creek drainage and over the divide into the Wind River drainage.

Paul enlisted in the U. S. Navy following high school. He served as a signalman on the carrier USS Wasp. During the Cold War, he completed ocean patrols, tracked Soviet submarines, and became enriched at international destinations. Paul received an honorable discharge in 1961.

He returned to Wyoming and worked at a variety of construction jobs, a PBR bull rider and in the oil and gas industry. Paul earned BS degrees in geology and recreational therapy from the University of Wyoming. Paul worked through the ranks of the oil and gas drilling hierarchy completing his career as a renowned consultant for the Rocky Mountain Region. Safety was his first priority. Paul's professionalism, leadership, analytical skills, decision-making, and accountability impressed those in the oil and gas industry.

In 1978, Paul became a member of the LDS church. The church gave him solace while serving the community and in several leadership roles.

For Paul's family and friends, his life modeled integrity, strong values, dedication, affection, and compassion. His children describe him as a man "molded by a lifetime of experiences and perpetuated through an example of character."

Paul is survived by wife, Joy of Cheyenne; son, Paul Robin (Mabel) Jones of Cheyenne; daughters, Stormie June (Scott) Williams of Rawlins and Sunnie Mae (Tom) Iiams of Lander; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary Ann Caldwell of Point Arena, Calif., Betty Whitt of Pavillion, Wyo., Jeannie Johnson of Canute, Okla.; and brother, John Jones of Montgomery, Ala.

Services will be held Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the LDS Stake House, 309 Western Hills Blvd. Cheyenne, Wyo.