Funeral services for Harold C. Jones, age 95 years, 9 months, and 3 days will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, December 5, 2009, at the Mapleton United Church with Rev. Betty Johnson officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Olson-Tichenor Funeral Home assisted the family with the arrangements.

Harold died on December 1, 2009 at Pathstone Living, Mankato, MN. The burial will be at Union Cemetery, Mapleton, MN.

On February 28, 1914, Harold Charles was born on the family farm, southeast of Mapleton, which had been in the Jones family since it was purchased in 1885 by his grandfather. Harold’s parents were Charles Edward and Gertrude (Jaeger) Jones. He attended Kruger School District #56, graduating from 8th grade, after which he worked with his father on the farm and apprenticed with an area electrician.

Harold married Dorothy Darroch on September 9, 1936 at the United Church in Mapleton. They lived and farmed together until retirement. They had one daughter. Harold was an engaged citizen, serving on the Mapleton Co-op Creamery Board, the Kruger District School Board, the Mapleton Township Board for 24 years, and the original Town and Country Leisure Center Board. He served for eleven years on the Blue Earth County A.S.C.S. Board and was the County Chairman for nine of those years. Harold was a lifetime member of the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs. Most importantly in the eyes of area children, Harold will be remembered as Mapleton’s Santa Claus, from 1950-1992 and as Minnesota Lake’s Festag Clown from 1953-1992. Harold was deeply honored to be the recipient of the Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award in 1983 and to have been named Minnesota Lake Festag Parade Grand Marshall in 1972 and Mapleton Town and Country Days Parade Grand Marshall.

He is survived by his daughter, Uvonne Jones VanHecke and son-in-law Richard C. VanHecke of Mankato, MN; his grandchildren, John (Betsy) VanHecke of St. Paul, JoNes VanHecke of Pella, IA and David (Tricia) VanHecke of Lake Mary, FL; his four great-grandchildren, Jack and Kate VanHecke of St. Paul, MN and Reggie and Duncan VanHecke of Lake Mary, FL; his sister-in-law Marion Jones of Minnesota Lake; and many special nieces and nephews.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, brother Erwin Jones, sister and husband Loretta (Jones) and Fred Obitz, sister-in-law and husband Mary (Darroch) and Mel Hansen, and sister-in-law and husband Ruth (Darroch) and Donald Whitney.