OBITUARY
Barry Jones
Born: 27 July 1942
Died: 16 November 2011
THE local community farewelled the dedicated and respected Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL sub-branch vice-president Barry Jones yesterday.
The funeral service for Barry Jones was held yesterday at the Salvation Army Cranbourne Community Church, following a long battle with asbestos mesothelioma. He was 69.
Mr Jones was an active member of the Cranbourne community, best known for his involvement in with the local RSL.
Born in Ballarat, Mr Jones later moved with his family to the Sandringham and Black Rock area where he grew up.
He started his working career as an apprentice carpenter where he became exposed to the asbestos.
He met his wife Carole, who is now president of the RSL ladies’ auxiliary, in 1962 and married her one year later.
He had a change of career at the time when he started working for Carole’s father installing insulation and doing roofs and tiling.
The couple built a house together in Glen Waverley and had three daughters – Michelle, Amanda and Caryn.
About 12 years later family moved into the City of Casey when they moved to Clyde, where they stayed until they moved to Cranbourne East about six years ago.
Mr Jones was heavily involved with the Clyde CFA where he served for about 13 years before coming unwell.
He was in the Army Reserve for 17 years where he rose to rank of sergeant with the Monash University Regiment.
In 1988 Mr Jones joined the then-Cranbourne RSL.
In 1996 he stepped up his role in the RSL and took on the role of vice-president before being elected as president in 2002.
When the Cranbourne RSL amalgamated with the Dandenong RSL in 2008, Mr Jones was elected as the vice-president – a position he held right up until his death.
Dandenong Cranbourne RSL secretary Barry Rogers said Mr Jones was a dedicated member of the club.
“His involvement with the club was mainly with the community, welfare and charities area,” he said.
Mr Rogers said during his time, Mr Jones had great influence in introducing the school education program which saw volunteers go to schools on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day and to aged care homes.
He also initiated the RSL’s attempts to get a deceleration lane turning into the Cranbourne RSL to improve the safety for drivers coming into the club and helped build the bowling greens there.
Mr Rogers said Mr Jones would be sadly missed by many.
“He was respected by a lot of people in the club and around the municipality,” he said.
“He was very community minded.
“The members will miss him, particularly seeing him standing at the bar. He had his own little area and had his own glass.”
His wife Carole said their family would dearly miss him.
“He was a man’s man,” she said.
“He was also a great family man. He loved his family and adored his granddaughter (Taylor), she idolised him.
“I hope he is remembered as the good man he was.”
She said his body would be cremated and the ashes to be kept in their home.
“I asked him one day what he wanted to do and he said ‘I want to come home’,” she said. “So that’s where he’ll be.”
Mayfield Ward councillor Amanda Stapledon said Mr Jones would be missed by the community.
“Barry was a true leader of the RSL in Cranbourne and a great representative for the returned servicemen and women and their families,” she said.
“He was loved and respected by so many and shall be very missed.”
Holt MP Anthony Byrne said the community was very lucky to have such a valued citizen who lived in our local area.
“Barry not only spent much of his time volunteering at the Cranbourne RSL but also he played a role in volunteering at the Clyde CFA station where he was known for filling and fixing the water trucks and lending assistance whenever it was needed,” he said.
“Barry Jones was a man of substance who contributed much to his community.
“I hope in some way this statement will appropriately acknowledge Barry’s substantial contribution to the community and encourage others to volunteer their time with local community organisations, in order to help others.”
– Bridget Cook
