Bill Jones and Leota McCleary

Love and Marriage

        About five years after returning home from the war, Bill found the love of his life. Leota Fern McCleary was born in the small farming community of Noble, Illinois on January 24, 1920. Her parents were Bertha Melinda (Bourne) and James Garfield McCleary. Leota was the fourth of their five children. After finishing high school she went to work as a stenographer. 

        Bill (34) proposed to Leota (31) by sucking on a LifeSaver until it was the size of a wedding ring. They married at 2pm on Saturday, June 16, 1951 in their home at 209 W. Sycamore St. in Sumner, Illinois. Reverend James McCoy, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren Church of Sumner performed the ceremony that was attended by their immediate families. 

        The wedding party was Leota's younger brother Jim and his wife, June. After the wedding and reception, they departed for a 10-day honeymoon in the Ozarks.

Children

        Almost two and a half years after their wedding, Bill (36) and Leota (33) became the proud parents of Jeffrey Alan Jones. He was born at 10:28pm on Wednesday, November 18, 1953 at the Lawrence County Memorial Hospital in Lawrenceville, Illinois. Jeffrey weighed in at eight pounds and was the first, and only, child in the family.