Larrick D. Jones

Larrick D. Jones, age 85, of Cave Junction, died Thursday, April 16, 2015 at his home.

A Celebration of life and potluck will be from 12 Noon to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, May 23, 2015 at Illinois Valley Fire Department, Station 1. Please bring your favorite dish.

Larrick was born on December 27, 1929, he was adopted and raised by his parents, George H. & Carolyn Jones, along with his other adopted siblings, brother, George Jr. (who died at an early age), and two sisters, Carol Anne & Dorothea. As a teenager he worked in the melon fields his parents owned in Brawley, California. He began working in the fire service when he entered the military September of 1948. While in the military, he toured four European countries in just a month, inspecting military base fire installations. After his discharge in August of 1952, he went to the California Law Enforcement Academy in 1953, becoming a Deputy Sheriff. He worked in Las Vegas for a short time and then went to work for the Atomic Energy Commission on the Pacific bomb tests. After returning from that job, he joined the Del Mar Fire Department in 1964 as a fire fighter. (He maintained his Deputy Sheriffs status until 1980). He became chief in 1985 and retired in 1992. He was married to his second wife, Kathleen in 1979.

His main hobby after retirement was a “ground-up” restoration of his 1942 Willy’s Jeep, and helping his good friends Jon & Gail Compton at their Spring Valley, California parts business. He also enjoyed driving his 1936 Ford, three window coup.

His total Fire Service dedication spanned 42 years, moving to Cave Junction, Oregon in the Illinois Valley in 1995. He joined the Illinois Valley Fire Board of Directors in March 2001 and served until February 2011.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen; daughter Debra; a grandson, Calen and several nieces and nephews.