Gordon McCrary Jones was born at the family farm home in rural Shenandoah, IA on November 28, 1926 to Ernest R. and Grace (McCrary) Jones. He spent his childhood there on the farm with his brother Sheldon. He attended La Prairie Country School and graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1944.

He met Carol Ruth Allen in March of 1952 and married on June 21, 1953 at Climax, IA. Over the next few years they were blessed with two children, Roger and Denise, and later in life four grandchildren.

Gordon began his adult life helping on the family farm. In the early 1960s he began diversifying into real estate and insurance with his own office. He built custom homes and two office buildings in Shenandoah. In the early 1970s he became manager of Home Savings & Loan helping many Shenandoah families purchase their first home. Farming though was always his favorite occupation. He always enjoyed going back out to the farm with Roger and Cale, spending much of his free time in retirement there.

Gordon and Carol were active lifelong members of the United Methodist Church in Shenandoah. He especially enjoyed serving with Helping Hands program and ushering at church. Gordon was also a board member of the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital at the time the current facility was built. Gordon enjoyed summertime family road trips to Colorado.

Gordon is preceded in death by his wife Carol; parents; and infant brother, Hershel. He is survived by his children, Roger and Sonya Jones of Shenandoah IA, Denise and Carl Jardon of Randolph, IA; four grandchildren, Cale Jones of Shenandoah, IA, Rachel Jones of Grimes, IA, Ryan Jardon of Johnston, IA, Rebecca Jardon of Ames, IA; brother, Sheldon Jones and sister in-law Opal of Coin, IA, sister-in-law Mary and Wayne Donohue of Red Oak, sister-in-law Carolyn (Clint) Allen of Red Oak; and many other family and friends.

Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Men's Helping Hands or to the Shenandoah Medical Center Healthcare Foundation.

Gordon's wish was for his body to be donated for medical research and scientific purposes.