Nonna Mae Empey Jones

Nonna Mae Empey Jones, devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away peacefully on the morning of April 24, 2021.
Nonna was born on May 4, 1934 to Charles Henry and Elnora South Empey in Ogden, Utah. Her childhood was filled with music, laughter, and love. She treasured summers with her extended family at North Fork. They played instruments and sang together, swam in their pool, rode horses, chased butterflies, and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.
Nonna was a masterful musician. She played the cello, piano, and organ. She practiced intently and played everything with exquisite precision and expression. She loved studying about the lives and music of classical composers. Mozart was her favorite. Nonna played the piano and organ for countless school and church events. She taught piano lessons and served as organist for the Bountiful Temple. Nonna also loved to sing and had a stunning voice. She sang in the Voce Caldi choir at Weber State and enjoyed performing.
Nonna continually impressed the importance of education upon her children and grandchildren. Her famous maxim is “Knowledge is our greatest asset, it is the only thing we take with us when we leave this earth.” She graduated from Ogden High School in 1952. She earned an associate degree from Weber State in 1954 and a bachelor’s degree in business from Brigham Young University in 1956.
Nonna’a favorite college memories include working with friends at West Yellowstone Union Pacific Dining Lodge for four summers. After long days at work, they looked forward to “pie nights” when they enjoyed eating pie and drinking soft drinks together. On their days off, Nonna admits to hitchhiking around every square inch of Yellowstone National Park they could access. She learned each geyser and pool by name.
Nonna, the “city girl,” married R. Keith Jones, the “country boy” in the Salt Lake Temple on August 10, 1956. Keith was Nonna’s childhood crush. She secretly watched him drive his tractor on his family’s farm and loved listening to him play the electric guitar in his band. Keith and Nonna raised five children and experienced countless adventures together living in four different states, traveling internationally, and summiting numerous peaks, including Kings Peak.
Nonna was a perfectionist in all that she did. She was a phenomenal and extremely meticulous seamstress. She started her own successful sewing design business and sold her beautiful creations throughout Utah.
Nonna continually strived to live the gospel of Jesus Christ and had an unwavering testimony of the power of the Savior’s Atonement. She had the purest of hearts and is our ultimate example of unconditional love and hard work. We will miss her intensely.
Nonna is survived by her loving husband Keith, brother Charles Empey (Linda), and children; Richard Jones (Beth), Julie Newey (Marty), Laurie Halliday, Susan Wyatt (Brad), Elizabeth Rooklidge (Erik), 12 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.
The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Nonna’s wonderful caregivers from Elevation Hospice (Monica) and Barton Creek Senior Living.
Funeral services will be held Monday, May 10, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., at the Moss Hill Ward,
455 South 1200 East, Bountiful, where friends and family may attend a viewing from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to services.
Services will be live streamed on Russon Brothers Mortuary Facebook page and on www.russonmortuary.com.
Please wear masks and follow COVID-19 protocol.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the School of Music Gift Fund at the University of Utah. ugive@admin.utah.edu