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Bob E. Jones, 52, died Monday, Dec. 13, 2004 after a brief illness.

Bob was the son of Maebur Reece Jones and the late Robert E. Jones.

Bob is survived by his wife, Robin Hitch, and his son, Simon Jones. In addition to his wife and son, Bob leaves a sister, Cindy Corley, a brother, Dan Jones and their families.

Bob was the Systems Engineer for the Blue Ridge Bone and Joint Clinic in Asheville, N.C.

In addition to his family Bob loved history, genealogy research and the outdoors. When I first became acquainted with Bob, in 2000, through contacts with mutual cousins, and the Internet, he told me he was a "tree-hugger". Bob and Robin spent every available minute every weekend hiking in the woods and climbing the mountains around Western North Carolina. He climbed them just because they were there. During the summer before his death, he and Robin had spent many months clearing land and putting in a road where they planned to build the energy efficient home of their dreams on the old Reece family homestead in Clay County. In October, 2004, my husband, Wayne, and I spent a glorious weekend with them, camping at this site, just weeks prior to his becoming ill.

I finally met Bob and Robin in person in March 2001 when I traveled back to Clyde and made a public effort to renovate and restore the home our ancestor, Jacob Shook. He was as enthusiastic was I was about our Papa's house. It was at this time that Bob created this website as we have known it. We worked closely together, communicating Shook business, the rest of his life. I came to dearly love Bob as a brother, as siblings. We were children of Jacob Shook.

Bob died of Infective Endocarditis. He had had some dental work done in November. No one could know that an infection that would claim his life was picked up then, He never knew that he had a heart valve problem. No doctor had ever told him his heart beat differently. They found the vegetation in his aortic heart valve. By the time he was admitted into a hospital he was just too sick. He suffered several minor strokes during this time. He died in about 6 days.

As I have made contact with so many other descendants, I've learned that heart valve problems are common among us. If you suspect that you or a family member have this problem, please don't neglect seeing a doctor, and please don't neglect taking antibiotics just before you have any dental work done.

Bob, I miss you.
Your devoted 4th cousin,

Wilma Hicks Simpson