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Idaho Enterprise

Edith Nola Christensen Jones

Passing away quietly on her birthday, February 20th, Edith Nola Christensen Jones lived exactly 94 years. No doubt she moved on joyfully to join Myron, her husband of 68 years, and her son Paul. She is survived by her children; Camille (Boyd) Baker, Marie (Wes) Larson, Christie (Larry) Oja, Ann (Tom) Knighton, Kathryn (Ernest) Fossum, Don (Annette) Jones and Jedd (Kim) Jones.

Grandma Nola, as so many knew her, leaves behind 7 children, 29 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren. Down to each individual in this significant posterity, we all treasure her loving care, example of hard work and gentle sense of humor.

Born in Ephraim, Utah to Seymour and Iva Christensen, Nola grew up in Sanpete County. She told many stories of herding sheep and overnight stays in summer sheep camps. As a high school senior attending Snow College, Nola met Myron Jones and captured his heart. 

Nola and Myron married on March 3, 1948 and moved to Idaho where Nola faced significant challenges living in remote Elkhorn-Daniels area of Oneida County: life without power or running water, loneliness, cooking for hired hands, working in the fields, and battling flies, box elder bugs and the weather—cold, snow, mud, scorching heat, summer-flash floods and more. With persistence, she worked through those challenges. She loved hiking the hills, gathering wildflowers, watching sunsets and—on summer evenings—driving the dirt roads to visit neighbors.

Nola balanced farm work, kitchen work and chauffeuring her children to town. She was always making a home, serving those in need and tirelessly supporting her children, especially in music and dance. Along the way, she planned toboggan and skating parties, sewed clothes, taught sewing in 4-H, worked privately as a seamstress, served others through the Relief Society, ran a catering business and later became famous as a specialty candy-maker. And in most of the 12 years that Myron served as a Representative in the Idaho State Legislature, Nola moved with him to Boise—children in tow—to support his efforts.

Nola and Myron served a mission in Nauvoo, Illinois where she gave tours in the Heber C. Kimball home and the Tin Shop. In recent years Nola valued serving as an ordinance worker in the Brigham and Logan temples.

Nola’s funeral will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Malad L.D.S. Second Ward Chapel (20 South 100 West). Friends and neighbors may pay tribute to Nola at a viewing at the church between 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. preceding the funeral. The dedication of her grave at the Malad Cemetery will occur following the funeral.