Michael Jones

Born August 19, 1956, in Lake Charles, LA, Michael Bradley Jones often said his love of water, seafood, and sweets started in the Cajun state. He loved nothing more than spending time near the water and with his family. After another great trip surrounded by his family at the Texas coast, Mike passed away on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

Throughout Mike’s youth, his father, McLeland Jones’ numerous Air Force assignments moved the family throughout the United States. However, it was the locations closest to water that Mike enjoyed the most, including time in Key West, FL, where Mike spent all his time swimming and fishing in a canal outside the family’s home.

Mike was also proud of his Southern roots. His mother, Mary Bradley was raised in Alabama, and his father’s roots were deep in the tobacco farms of North Carolina. Some of Mike’s fondest memories included summer visits to North Carolina lying in the tobacco-drying barns with his cousins. His family eventually settled in San Antonio, TX where Mike attended John Jay High School. There he crafted his leadership skills, serving as an officer in many activities including student council, band, yearbook, and the German club. It was not surprising to anyone who knew him when he was voted “Most Reliable.” This was a trait he carried on throughout the rest of his life, from being there for friends in the hospital to answering calls from his children when they needed advice or a shoulder to cry on. Mike was there, always.

He easily earned friendships and could always be counted on when he was needed. It was with a group of friends that Mike joined the Navy right out of high school. He was selected to train as a cryptographic technician, and carried top secret and SCI clearances when he was stationed in South Korea and Hawaii, spending time crafting his computer technology skills that later fueled his career in the field. After briefly seeking out a degree as a veterinarian and marine biologist, Mike transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, and began his first job working nights as a computer technician. From there, he held many positions in several technology companies where he made significant contributions, earned glowing reviews, and received various awards.

At his core, however, Mike loved being a father and later a grandfather. He was the ultimate coach, cheerleader and supporter. As his children, with his first wife Deborah Swift, grew up he spent his time teaching and coaching soccer and basketball. And what sports he didn’t coach, he showed up as their lead supporter, rarely missing a game even those out of town or the state. His kids could always hear his voice in the stands, encouraging them to push harder and work together with their team. He guided his kids to sports because he knew it was important for them to understand teamwork and to be dependable to themselves and others. For two years, he served as commissioner at the Hays Youth Athletic Association. During this time, he helped lead the building of the baseball fields to add fences, lights, irrigation, score boxes, and a new concession stand, working long hours with volunteers to do a majority of the work with his own hands. He wanted to leave his children and the community a field to be proud of and he could rarely sit still and not put in the work himself.

Mike instilled in his children a love of food, sports, animals/wildlife, music, and travel. Every summer his family spent two weeks camping on the Frio River with friends where he would tell stories and tube during the day and play games into the night. He took the children on adventures to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, New Mexico, and the Grand Caymans just to name a few. He encouraged his youngest daughter to study abroad in Europe, and he spent two weeks traveling throughout Italy and Switzerland with her.

He also taught his children how to overcome adversity. At the age of 28, Mike was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Firefighters rescued him from his crushed truck with the jaws of life. His left elbow was crushed in the accident. When transported to the hospital he went into cardiac arrest and spent eight hours in surgery. His legs were broken, and he never regained the ability to straighten his left arm. After two weeks in intensive care, six weeks in the hospital and numerous surgeries, he learned to walk again. Throughout his life, Mike never complained about the pain or limitations the accident caused.

Mike married Christie Casper Colyar on June 1, 2013, after discovering a deep love of Christ and joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were later sealed in the San Antonio, Texas Temple. Studying the gospel with his wife became an integral part of Mike's daily routine. He enjoyed teaching the youth about the principles of his beliefs weekly in church.

Mike spent the last decade creating lasting relationships with his wife and her large family. Whether it was attending different professional or grandchildren’s sporting events, playing in the park with his grandchildren or visiting family in Utah, Mike always took the time to build a connection with each individual. In his retirement, Mike developed an avid love for collecting and organizing football, baseball, and basketball cards. He spent many evenings watching and discussing sports with his wife and grandchildren.

For Mike, what was important was to live in the present and to spend time with those he loved. And throughout his life that is exactly what he did. He is survived by his wife, Christie Jones, and his children, Thomas (Shea) Jones; Erin Jones, and Caitlin Jones; Kristal (Jesse) Adams, Joshua (Annamaria) Colyar, Caressa (Sterling) Kendall, Angelia (Troy) Carpenter, 10 grandchildren, and siblings, John (Sharon) Vaughn and Donna (Henry) Smahlik, and his nieces and their children. He is preceded in death by his father, McLeland Jones, and mother, Mary Bradley Jones and his daughter, Megan Elizabeth Jones.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, July 14, 2023, at 1:00 pm at the Orem City Cemetery, 1520 North 800 East in Orem, Utah.

Condolences for the family may be expressed on this page.

For those unable to attend in person, you may view the Services HERE