Elmer Scargle Jones Jr.

Elmer Scargle Jones Jr. son of Agnes and Elmer Jones of Bethayres, Pennsylvania crossed over into eternity on December 22nd, 2023, at the age of 93. A longtime resident of Manassas, Virginia, Elmer joined the United States Navy at the age of 17 where he rose to the rank of Chief Yeoman before retiring with 20 years of service. He served on the USS Oglethorpe, USS Blackbird, and was stationed in Argentia Newfoundland where he was commended for “his outstanding performance of duty and leadership in meticulously reorganizing and modernizing” the Operations Department. He was also stationed at the Pentagon working for the DIA. The skills he learned in the Navy served him well. Upon his retirement he was employed by the Northern Virginia Electric cooperative and was promoted to the office of Regional Manager. He retired after 26 years. Elmer met his wife of 63 years, Ida Mae Harrison, while assigned to the Department of the Navy. They moved to Manassas where he built their first home. Known for his construction skills, he dug out the crawl space under his second home by hand and created a full basement. During that excavation, he asked his wife and two small daughters to stand in the street while he blew up a large rock from under the house with half a stick of dynamite. The rock was crumbled, the house was miraculously undamaged, but a small feud was started with the neighbor as dirt blasted all over her newly washed laundry drying on the line. During hurricane Agnes, Elmer was in a rowboat assessing the power lines and directing restoration of electrical service. He helped his dear friends restore their home that had been submerged to the roof and shared his own home with those in need of shelter. Elmer loved working with his hands. He dug out basements in three of his homes, added additions and built a mountain cabin in Winchester. He was always on call, helping his children with home repairs and remodeling. There was nothing that he could not repair. His neighbors at Liberty Trails could always count on him to find the source of a maintenance problem and repair it. He was a man that friends and family could count on! He loved trains and created a magnificent two-tier-train village. He also built many complicated model ships, as well as airplanes and cars. He enjoyed sketching and painting. He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association and American legion Post 158. He was preceded in death by his wife Ida Mae Harrison and his brother Richard Jones. He will be cherished in the memories of his brother William R. Jones and wife Myrtle, daughters Robin Cameron, Virginia Cranford, and their spouses Bill and Richard, grandchildren: Shae Cameron, Seth Cameron and wife Elizabeth, Shannon Daugherty and spouse Patrick, Carrie Cranford, Tye Willey, Jeremy Cranford and spouse Kristie; great grandchildren: Emily Parry and spouse Tommy, Hunter Daugherty, Trevor Daugherty, Gavin Willey, Kennedy Fisher and husband Gabe, Brody Cameron, Kaylah and Lawson Cranford, Lilly and Julia Hoffmann as well as the great, great grandchildren: Reagan, Reese, Colton Parry, Kinsley, and Addilyn Fisher. A Military service for Family and Friends will be held January 5th at Quantico National Cemetery at 12:30.

Elmer Scargle Jones Jr.

March 25, 1930 - December 22, 2023