Jesse E. Jaynes

Jesse E. Jaynes, 100 of La Junta passed away on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Arkansas Valley Regional Nursing Care Center. He was born on November 16, 1910 in La Junta, CO to Leslie & June Leona (Shaw) Jaynes. He celebrated his 100th birthday in November 2010 with his family and his many friends. He married Lucile Maddox on April 1, 1930 in Clayton, New Mexico; she preceded him in death in 1997. They were married 67 years.
    Jesse and Lucile shared a life of travel and adventure, first on their motorcycles and later in their motor home. They traveled to all 48 states, Canada & Mexico. Jess was a lifetime member of the Good Sam’s Club; he served as the Assistant State Director for 10 years. He organized the Good Sam’s Mini Samboree that was held in Rocky Ford for many years. Jess and Lucile traveled many miles with their friends.
    Jess attended school in La Junta. He also was a long time member of the La Junta Church of Christ; where he was known for the biscuits and gravy he prepared for the men’s breakfast and the angel food cakes he baked for the pot luck dinners.
    He belonged to the United Transportation Union for over 50 plus years, he was a lifetime member of the American Motorcycle Association and the National Rifle Association.
    He was known as the man who could fix anything and was happy to help you when you needed something fixed. He began his career as a mechanic at the age of 12 when he started repairing friends and family Model T’s. He worked as a mechanic for the City of La Junta from 1935 until 1940 where he helped pave the first paved streets in La Junta. He also worked at the La Junta Air Base from 1941 and 1942 as a heavy equipment mechanic.
    In 1943 Jess was hired by ATSFRR to work as a fireman on steam locomotives, it was his job to shovel the coal needed to keep the train running. He could shovel 1-2 tons of coal on a run. In a few years he was promoted to engineer and the locomotives changed to diesel. He retired on January 17, 1975. After retirement Jess spent much of his time in his garage repairing cars for friends. He also built a tractor using a Maytag washing machine motor, he also built a Gyrocopter. He enjoyed repairing anything that was broken just because he could.
    Jess is survived by his sister-in-law Bonnie Jaynes; nieces Virginia Kehn, Shirley Johnson, Carol Rienhart, Edith Miller, Lucretia Cox, and Ruth Tallent; nephews Richard Jaynes, Steven Jaynes, Artie Ray Hughes, Billy Deihl, Ray McGee and additional numerous nieces & nephews; and longtime family friends Tom & Melvina Skinner, Debby & Scott Howard, Tom & Tracy Skinner and their sons Brandon, Tommy J. & Keane. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Lucile, son Billy Jaynes, sisters Estella Deihl, Aletha McGee and Thelma Hughes, brothers Earl, Leslie, and Harry Jaynes, and nieces & nephews.
    Funeral service will be Friday, July 1, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at the La Junta Church of Christ with Evangelists Norman Morrow & Danny Aragon officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Peacock Memorial Chapel.

Those wishing to do so may make memorial contributions to the Colorado Talking Book Library, 180 Sheridan Blvd., Denver, CO, 80226 or to the Church of Christ, 921 Cimarron Avenue, La Junta, CO, 81050 direct or through the funeral home.