John "Denny" Jones

John Dennis Jones, known to friends and family as "Denny," age 87, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 7, 2026, in Des Moines.

Denny was born on March 12, 1939, in Des Moines to John and Charlotte Jones. He grew up in the community, graduating from Lincoln High School with the Class of 1957. Following graduation, Denny enlisted in the United States Army, where he was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He served for eight years of active and reserve service.

Upon returning home, Denny built a life dedicated to his family and hard work. He served as a firefighter for the City of Des Moines, worked as a salesman for several local businesses, and eventually retired from L&L Insulation.

The love of Denny's life was his wife, Kay, with whom he shared 64 beautiful years of marriage. Together, they raised two children, Kirk Jones and Julie Peterson. Denny and Kay loved to travel, making unforgettable memories on fly-in fishing trips to Canada and relaxing vacations in Mexico. After retirement, Denny and Kay spent many wonderful winters soaking up the sun and making memories with friends in Port Aransas, Texas.

Denny was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, camping, golfing, and was a member of the Yellow River Canoe Club. He was also a passionate, lifelong fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and he and Kay were dedicated football season ticket holders who loved cheering on the team together. Above all, Denny cherished his family, and nothing brought him greater joy than spending time with them - especially his grandchildren. He lived life to the absolute fullest, a mindset perfectly captured by his favorite saying, "Who has more fun than people?"

Denny is survived by his wife, Kay, his son, Kirk (Carol) Jones, his daughter, Julie Peterson, his cherished grandchildren, Jordan and Kaylee, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Charlotte, and his siblings, Cherie, Jerry, and Paul.

The family will greet friends on Friday, June 19, 2026, from 4:30 pm to 7:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street. Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 20th at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home followed by burial at Elm Grove Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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