Daphne Jones, 62

Daphne Jones, 62, passed away Tuesday, April 10, 2007, at Brendan House in Kalispell, after a short battle with cancer. She was born Aug. 24, 1944, in Peterborough, England. Daphne was the oldest of six children of Cyril and Kathleen Courten. She was raised in Peterborough.

Daphne loved to spend time on the ocean and going to the parks for the rides.

In 1961, Daphne met Richard "Dick" Rue Jones, who was stationed at the R.A.F. Air Force Base in Alconbury, England. On April 7, 1962 they were married. She was working at a local grocery store as a grocery assistant.

On June 5, 1962, they had their first child, Nicholas Wayne, in Peterborough. On July 14, 1963, only a year later, they were on their way to the United States.

Daphne was a devoted wife and mother, as she continued her new life in the Creston area. Leslie Anne was born July 21, 1964. Daphne also had two baby girls "who are angels in heaven now," Angleia and Tawnya, who were lost at birth. In 1969, Dick moved his family up to the Foy's Lake homestead when his father passed. Melanie Ruth was born June 27, 1977.

On June 18, 1985, Dick passed. This was the first time that Daphne had to go to work since she was a teenager. She first started working as a housekeeper at the Best Western Outlaw Inn. A few years later, she started working the winters at Snowline Tree Company. Daphne made many lifelong friends that she could share a cry with and with whom she also had many laughs. Her hands were made of leather, and showed how hard she worked every day. Keeping up with the farm and working to support her children and grandchildren, she never seemed to stop … well, except for that hot cup of lovely tea!

Daphne loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much. If you knew her, you know that these children were her life. She loved her birds and birdhouses, and always made sure that there was a warm nest, for a new year of life, that very next spring. She had a heart of gold. She would always make sure that everyone was loved in their own special way.

Daphne was preceded in death by her husband and two daughters.

She is survived by a son, Nick Jones, and wife, Cindy, of Kalispell; two daughters, Leslie Low and husband, Marty, of Kalispell, and Melanie Hayek and husband, Doug, of Somers; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three brothers; two sisters; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives. She also leaves behind her cat, Tabitha.

Celebration of life services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in the Foy's Lake Community Center, 100 Foy's Canyon Road, in Kalispell.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Daphne's family.