Darleen Banks Jones

Our beloved mother, Darleen Banks Jones, returned to her heavenly home on September 19, 2025, at the age of 79. Darleen was born on August 5, 1946, in Cedar City, Utah, to Sidney Robert and Mary Tait Banks. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend.

Darleen has always been a nurturer. As the oldest sister of seven brothers and one sister, she was a little mother to her siblings. The bonds that were formed through her loving care stayed strong into adulthood. She helped her mother with the task of cooking for a large family. Together, they put love into action, making delicious cakes, cookies, and treats, preserving garden produce, and peeling mountains of potatoes.

She was an avid reader, loved learning, and excelled in school. She continued her education through her love of books. She especially loved to study the gospel of Jesus Christ and the scriptures.

Darleen enjoyed growing up in the little farming community of Enterprise, surrounded by relatives and dear friends. She loved attending the dances and found one partner especially interesting. He was literally the boy next door. Darleen and Bobby Wood Jones were sealed in the St. George Temple on June 19, 1964.

Darleen loved being a wife and mother and together they created a cozy home for their three daughters and three sons. Her home was a center of learning, and she taught her children lessons of faith, love, kindness, and hard work. She used the skills she learned at her mother’s side to feed her family delicious meals. When the boys were teens, she often handmade 14 loaves of bread a week. Christmas baking started weeks before Christmas so she could make everyone’s favorites. She spent hours reading scripture stories and other books with the children all around her. When her sons left on missions, she trained as a pharmacy technician and cleaned at the temple to pay their mission expenses. Once the grandchildren came, Darleen loved rocking and singing to them. She supported her grandchildren at games, recitals, plays, and concerts. She loved being a grandmother and rejoiced in each one of her 27 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Her love for the Savior was demonstrated by her service to those in need and in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Darleen opened her heart and home, and many found refuge and support in her kindness. In the later years of her parents’ lives, she cared for them with great love and devotion. She was a compassionate friend and counselor and had a unique ability to listen. Those who came to her felt heard, loved, and supported. She will be deeply missed.

Darleen is survived by her children, Norene (Randy Smith), Denise (Jeff Adams), Kevin (Leslie), Aaron (Michelle), Warren (Jaime), and Wendy (Jared Weight). Darleen is also survived by her siblings, Sidney (Gail), Kendall (Marilyn), Jon (Raean), Sheldon (Elaine), Dennis (Leslie), Robert (Karen), and her sister, Shanna. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Wood Jones; her parents; and her brother, Larry Banks.

A funeral service to celebrate Darleen’s life will be held on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Riverdale Stake Center, 4000 Parker Drive, Riverdale, Utah. Friends may visit with family on Thursday, September 25th, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., and on Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, at 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 27th.

Services will be live-streamed and available the day of the services by scrolling to the bottom of Darleen’s obituary page at: www.lindquistmortuary.com where condolences may also be shared.

Darleen's memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Her legacy of kindness, faith, rootbeer cookies, homemade bread, pecan roll and unwavering love for her family and Heavenly Parents will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her