Funeral services for Russell Jones, 85 year old Buffalo resident who passed away quietly Friday evening at his ranch home in Johnson County, will be held from the Krause Funeral Home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Pastor Janis Kinens officiating. Interment will be in the Pine Lawn Cemetery in Milwaukie with the American Legion and VFW will be in charge of military graveside rites. Donations in Mr. Jones’ memory may be made to the St. Francis Animal Shelter in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com
Russell S. Jones was born November 22, 1931 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to Russell and Myrna Jones. He grew up the second of four children and went to school in Wauwatosa, where he graduated from Wauwatosa High School with the class of 1949. After high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany during the Korean Conflict. He received an honorable discharge in 1952 and went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, majoring in Business Education. Russell was hired as the president of The First Ozaukee Savings and Loan in Cedarberg, Wisconsin where he worked and was in charge of their board of directors until his retirement. He was married to Maija Zvers-Wilkes on August 10, 1995 in Buffalo, Wyoming. They spent their winters restoring an original antebellum house in Mississippi and their summers on their ranch south of Buffalo. Russell’s lifelong love of the west became a reality when they decided to make their home permanently on the ranch where they lived happily until his death. Russell was very active in Rotary International where he reached the status of Paul Harris Fellow.
Russell is survived by his wife Maija Jones of Buffalo; two daughters Stephanie Kieselhorst and her husband Ralph of Saukville, Wisconsin and Janice Trepanier and her husband William of Cedar Grove, Wisconsin; one sister Carol Fleming and her husband Paul of Sheboygan; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.
