Michael K Jones

Michael K. Jones, 75, passed away on September 11, 2024, at Legacy House in Logan, Utah.

He was born October 16, 1948, in Rigby, Idaho, to Kenneth Y. Jones and Lois Crystal Jones. Raised in southeastern Idaho, he spent his formative years in farming and ranching country surrounded by cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Many of his closest friendships were with cousins. His best childhood memories were of cattle drives, riding horses, fishing, hunting, and camping at the family cabin in Island Park.

Mike graduated from Rigby High School in 1967, where he lettered in football, track, and wrestling. He won the district wrestling championship three years in a row and took second place in state his senior year.

After high school, Mike was called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Western Canadian Mission. Later he was transferred to the Western States Mission. Following his mission, Mike enrolled at Brigham Young University.

At BYU, Mike met Erma Anderson, and they married on June 7, 1971, in the Logan Utah Temple. After they both graduated from BYU, they moved to Idaho where they helped on Mike’s family farm and started their own family of two daughters and four sons.

In addition to farming, Mike had several jobs in construction, sales, and management that took the family from Idaho to Logan, Utah—but his life-long professional interest was helping others lead happy, productive lives. He was a licensed marriage and family counselor and completed extensive graduate coursework in psychology and counseling, eventually earning a Master’s in Education from the University of Phoenix. He found his true calling in his work as a school counselor at Ben Lomond High School, North Cache, and White Pine Middle School.

Church service was important to Mike. He was bishop of the Logan 9th Ward and in three bishoprics prior to that. He was also a young men’s president, counselor, and secretary at both ward and stake levels. After retiring, Mike was a church service missionary at the Bishop’s Storehouse in Logan.

In the community, Mike coached boys’ and girls’ soccer, basketball, football and baseball. He obtained his private pilot’s license and was a certified scuba instructor, but he dedicated most of his recreational time to fixing cars, repairing leaky faucets, and shoveling walks for friends and neighbors.

Mike influenced the lives of many youths through his leadership in the Boy Scouts of America. He was a scoutmaster, troop committee chairman, assistant district commissioner, charter organization representative, explorer leader, and varsity coach. At Camp Hunt, he served as camp director for two years, program director for two years, and camp ranger for nine years. He was an advocate for Wood Badge, and he counseled dozens of scouts pursuing their Eagle rank. He received the Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service to youth in 2001.

Mike counted his family and his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ as his greatest blessings. Survivors include his wife, Erma Jones; his children, Jennifer Bowman of Hyde Park, Derek (Tami) Jones of Nibley, Brooke Jones of New Haven, Connecticut, Connor (Liz) Jones of Logan, Tanner (Amber) Jones of Logan, and Jay D (Libbie Linton) Jones of Salt Lake City; 20 grandchildren; and brother, KC (Linda) Jones of Logan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, JD Jones, and a daughter-in-law, Amy Pitcher Jones.

The family would like to thank Legacy House Memory Care for making the last five years of Mike’s life as comfortable as possible, and Hospice, for their kind and dedicated service.

The family will receive friends for a public visitation at the Park Avenue LDS Building, 940 Three Pointe Avenue, Logan, Utah, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 11:00 am at the same location. An additional viewing will be held prior to the funeral service on Wednesday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church. The burial will be in the Logan City Cemetery.