Lynn LaRoque Jones

Lynn was two months away from his 80th birthday, July 29, 1940. God conquered his cancer and unaccustomed fragility by taking him eternally home on May 29th. Beloved by all who knew him for his kindness, folksy Texas drawl, unfailingly positive attitude, big analytical brain, and quiet Christian example, Lynn will be missed by all of us. He was born in Ballinger, Texas to Russell Jones and Geneva LaRoque Jones, a mother he knew for only a few years. Much of his childhood occurred in Stephenville, Texas with his father and step-mother Laverell Lee Jones. He started his professional training at Tarleton State University and finished his BS degree in mathematics at Texas Tech University. He received his MS in statistics from Oklahoma State University and his PhD in industrial engineering and management also from OSU. His career path took him, over a period of exactly 50 years, to Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Textron (formerly Bendix) in Kansas City, Missouri; Koch Industries in Wichita, Kansas; and Bombardier Learjet, also in Wichita, where he led in such fields as statistics, process improvement, and continuous improvement, especially training. During his years at Bendix, he invented a device for measuring three-dimensional objects with extreme accuracy and received a patent on it. In later years, Lynn formed his own company for consulting with agricultural business leaders, using his statistics to formulate pioneering predictive models applied to weather and crops. He has been an active member and Bible teacher in Wichita, first at Riverwalk Church of Christ and then at East Point Church of Christ. Lynn loved the outdoors, especially the mountains and log cabin style; he climbed to the summit of Mt. Whitney (highest point in the lower 48) with his wife and sons as research for his wife's novels. He further enjoyed building large landscape features, such as waterfalls, out of big rocks and normally in temperatures over 105 degrees—even after two quadruple bypass surgeries. He adored animals, most importantly buffalos and hundreds of stuffed bears collected over 40 years with his wife as well as their four gigantic Old English sheepdogs. Other favorites included classic Coke, John Wayne movies, "Casablanca," science fiction, his wife's novels, and watching any game that involved a ball. His passion, though, was for Oklahoma State football and basketball. The consummate OSU fan, his wardrobe since retirement consisted of anything orange and/or black; and he was always ready to engage even perfect strangers in lively chat about the players, coaches, and scores, since his outfit always proclaimed OSU allegiance from his jacket logo to his socks.

Lynn is survived by devoted wife Kathy of the home; son Matt of Palm City, Florida; step-son Brendan Rice, M.D. and wife of Wichita; grandchildren Tyler Rice and Cody Rice; sisters Sheri Creamer of the Austin, Texas area and Vicki Allen of Stephenville, Texas.

Service to be held on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.in the Victory Garden at Eastpoint Church of Christ, 747 N 127th St. E., Wichita.

Memorials could be directed to the Zimbabwe Orphans' Fund through Eastpoint Church of Christ in Wichita.