Andy Jones

Andrew Earl Jones, born June 19th 1955 to the late Octer Earl Jones and Betty Joyce Brittain, passed away Monday afternoon August 14th, 2023 at age 68 in a Rome, Georgia hospital following a short illness.

Andrew, known by friends and family as Andy, was a renaissance man that never stopped learning, moving, and growing. Andy was a man of principle, faith, discipline, and adventure. In 1983, he served in the US Army as Platoon Leader of 11 Bravo Company and was honorably discharged in 1984. Andy received marksmanship awards from his time in the military and always kept those skills sharp.

In 1983, he graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Business Administration. In 1995, he received a black belt in karate. In the early 2000s, he went back to school and received advanced training in auto mechanics and continued using that skill, rescuing many family and friends broken down on the side of the road at all hours. Andy’s discipline and work ethic were unmatched. He continued to repair, create, and invent, working tirelessly and enthusiastically from project to project.

Andy leaves a legacy of a large and close family, including his loving spouse Karen, to whom he was married on June 11, 1974. Andy and Karen had five children Jessica, Emily, Andrew (Drew), Daniel, and Lucas. Their respective spouses are Alexander Marsaw, Jonathan Rusch, Jessica, Melissa, and Thessy. Their 14 grandchildren are Hailey, Melanie, Lindsey, Stacey, Jack, Tucker, George, Landon, Kaylee, Shelby, Abbie, Charles, Harrison, and Bennett, with more to come. Andy’s siblings are the late Linda Aboshamaa, and the surviving siblings Alice Becker, Justina Brittain, and Diana Thompson.

His greatest joy in life was spending time with his spouse, his five children and their spouses, his grandchildren, and the many close friends he made. Andy never hesitated when his family or friends needed help and would immediately drop what he was doing to assist, comfort, inspire, and bless. Andy’s definition of family extended to many adopted ‘blood’ brothers and sisters. Andy made friends easily and quickly and remained fiercely loyal to his family and friends through thick and thin.

You could not know Andy Jones without knowing of his strength, faith, and unbending principles. Andy’s strong principles and incredible character instilled in his children a resilient love for and faith in God. Andy served in numerous assignments in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints including teacher, branch president, bishop, and counselor in the Athens stake presidency, just to name a few. Andy never missed an opportunity to teach positive life principles bless the lives of all around him. Thanks to their father, his kids each gained the strength necessary to be “the tree that stands alone” in their faith and lives.

Andy is the author of four books, Chronicles of a Worn Soul (2014), Evacuation: A Family Guide for the 21st Century (2013), All of the Answers are in the Woods (2012), and Surviving Disaster Without Leaving Home (2011) where he recorded many of his life’s lessons and musings. Andy’s best and strongest lesson however was the way that he conducted his life and in the way that he treated those around him. Andy was kind, loving, and dedicated to guiding others to live true and correct principles. Andy was a loyal and fierce disciple of Jesus Christ his entire life.

Andy was far too busy for any vices and developed expert knowledge in many fields including auto mechanic, photography, scuba diving, climbing, HAM radio, crisis management, woodworking, steel working, manufacturing, electric circuitry, wilderness survival, martial arts, munitions, firearms, archery, insurance, heavy machinery, agriculture, cattle, horse riding, farm animal care, construction, and business. Andy doggedly pursued a field of study until he mastered it and continued acquiring skills and talents all of his life. Andy could learn anything that he put his mind to and was widely educated in many topics and disciplines.

Andy was a man strongly connected to nature and loved to spend time in the woods and loved leading others through challenging nature trails in the Appalachians, the Rockies, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, and throughout the United States. Andy donated much of his time and energy to the Boy Scouts program. Andy traveled widely throughout the world with his wife, friends, and family.

The family received friends at the Powder Springs stake center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 2595 New MacLand Road in Powder Springs, Georgia on Saturday, August 19th from 12:00 noon until 1:30. Funeral services for Andy Jones followed at the same location at 2:00 PM. Interment was in the Cave Spring Cemetery at 4:30 PM with the Honor Guard of Shanklin-Attaway Post 5 of the American Legion presenting Military Honors. Pallbearers included  Andrew Jones, Daniel Jones, Lucas Jones, Alexander Marsaw, Jonathan Rusch, and Stephan Neal. Long time friends Gil English, Lewis Jones, Ron Becker, Richard Mullins and Kimo Kalanui served as an honorary escort.

When asked by his tired children on many a mountain hike how far until they would arrive at camp, Andy’s common reply would be “just over the next mountain.” His spouse and children look forward to a happy reunion with him again just over their next mountain.

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