May 26, 1954 — February 12, 2020
Luella Odesa Jones, 65, passed away at her home on Feb. 12, 2020. She was born in Torrance, California on May 26, 1954, to Twila Jane Barnett and Kenneth Wilbur Steelman.
Luella was the oldest of four children and grew up in Southern California. She married her husband, Christopher “Chris” Jones, in August 1972 and the two embarked on an adventure together that lasted more than 47 years. Luella and Chris together raised three amazing children, living over the years in California, North Carolina, Utah, Massachusetts, and Hawaii.
Luella received her associate degree from BYU–Hawaii and her bachelor’s degree in Integrated Studies from Utah Valley University (UVU). She worked for nearly two decades in the field of higher education. She coordinated UVU’s conferences, workshops, and community education programs and served as Director of the EY Center for Careers in Accounting & Information Systems at California State University, Northridge before retiring in 2016.
Luella joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teen. She loved to serve others in every calling she held. The sisterhood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Relief Society was dear to her heart. When not ministering to others or spending time with her family, she loved to travel the world and explore new places. The Pacific Coast was her second home, having been raised on the shores of Redondo Beach. She enjoyed community theater, music concerts, reading and engaging with her friends in the book clubs she joined.
Grandma Lue—GLue for short—was always the “glue” that kept our family together. Her eighty-plus nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews lovingly referred to her as Auntie Lue. She believed in the healing power of ice cream to bring families closer and always had a well-stocked freezer.
Luella is survived by her husband, Chris Jones, her three children: Justin Jones, Nate Jones, and Kristen (Jones) Cameron, her grandchildren: Mia Jones (15), Gabby Jones (15), Harrison Cameron (15), Elizabeth Cameron (13), Lexi Jones (11), and Liam Jones (9), her sister, Roberta (Pickett) Strong, her brother, William Pickett, her stepfather, Arthur Sherman, and her mother-in-law, Joy Jones. She was preceded in death by her mother, Twila (Barnett) Heavener, brother, Cliff Pickett, father-in-law, Gilbert Jones, and mother-in-law, Dorothy (Eberley) Jones.
A visitation for Luella will be held at the LDS Crimson Ridge Stake Center located at 3202 Crimson Ridge Dr., St. George, Utah on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, from 9:30-10:30 a.m., with funeral services immediately thereafter at 11 a.m. At a later date, following a gravesite dedication, Luella will be buried in Oakwood Memorial Park, Chatsworth, California.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Please visit our website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.