ELLSWORTH S. "DEKE" JONES, 96, of 3389 Westhaven Court,Eau Claire died Wednesday, December 16, 1998, at The Clairemont Nursing Home in Eau Claire. He was born July 31, 1902 in Detroit, Michigan to Wilfred and Ada (Crandall) Jones. He grew up on his grandparents farm in Mt. Clemens, MI, where he lived until moving to Detroit. Ellsworth worked for the Ford Motor Company for three years upon graduating from high school. He then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and graduated in June of 1928 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He was a member of the Triangle Engineering Fraternity. Ellsworth worked for the Carrier Corporation until 1944 , when he left to manage the Kraetke Tool&Die Company. After the war he worked and managed the Detroit and Pontiac branches of the J. George Fischer&Sons Company of Saginaw, MI, which sold commercial refrigeration. He purchased the company in 1957 and it became The Deke Jones Company. Upon his retirement in 1972, his business was sold to Thermal Company, Inc. of St. Paul, MN.\r\nEllsworth married Marjorie F. Kraetke on October 29, 1931 and they resided in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI until her death in 1965. He married Florence E. Major and they resided in Detroit, Escondido, CA., and Honolulu, HI, until 1990 when he came to Eau Claire.\r\nHe is survived by his children, Margaret Ann and her husband, Charles B. Gustafson of Eau Claire, their children Christopher of Dallas, TX, and Bradley and Kristine (Sippel) and their son Jonathon of Mosinee, Wilfred E. Jones and his wife Sherry (Schack) of Delaware, OH, their children, Patience of Delaware,OH, and Kimberly of Tipp City, OH; his step-daughters, Dr. Marilyn Major of Honolulu, HI, and Candis (Major) and her husband T. Richard Flynn of Grants Pass, OR.\r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister Odessa Jones.\r\nIn his years in Eau Claire he had many friends, but especially Dorothy Thompson who introduced him to wonderful people and made his last years so memorable.\r\nA private graveside service will be held at a later date in Detroit, Michigan with Christ Church, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan officiating.\r\nAn open house will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, December 20, at his daughter's home at 3389 Westhaven Court, Eau Claire.\r\nThe family prefers memorials to Eau Claire Chapter of the Visually Impaired,c/o 423 W. Grand Ave., Eau Claire, 54701 or to the White Cane Fund, P.O. Box 345, Madison, WI 53701-0345.\r\nLenmark-Gomsrud Funeral Home is serving the family.

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