Marilyn Jean Jones passed away peacefully October 21st, 2026 at her home in Ridgecrest with her husband at her side. She was 81 years old.

Marilyn was born January 14th, 1945 in Du Quoin, Illinois to parents Anthony and Margerate Barkus of Dowell. Her father was a Coal Miner for 35 years. Marilyn and her younger sister Judy attended grade school & junior high in a small coal mining town of Dowell, Illinois. After graduating 8th grade, Marilyn's parents moved the Family to Burbank, California. In 1959  she attended Polytechnic High School and graduated with 500 Seniors in 1963. She found work with Hartfield Department Store as a fashion model and sales representative for ladies ware. She was married at age 19 and had her only child (Alicia Lawrey) at 20 years old. She worked for over 22 years and raised her daughter from age 13 years onward as a single parent. In 1990, Marilyn met her future husband, Jimmy, through a referral from his Aunt Betty, who worked with Marilyn for 20 years in Burbank. They were married in Carson City, Nevada in 1991 and she made her home in Ridgecrest for the next 35 years.

Marilyn's first job in Ridgecrest was with Holland & Lyons Mortuary working for H.K. Holland. After a year, she was hired by Lockheed and worked as an Office Manager for the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake as a Contractor and Government Employee for the next 17 years and loved every minute of it.

She was an avid reader, especially history, and her favorite place in Ridgecrest was the Kern County Library. Marilyn Loved to go fishing with Jimmy. Lake Crowley every Flex Friday and the streams from Big Pine to Rock Creek in-between. She also was a rock hound buff exploring old mining camps from Nevada, Utah, and Colorado with their good friends, Doug and Jeanie Savage. They didn't stop where the pavement ends, exploring in hard to get places in their Polaris Razor UTV. They explored West of the Continental Divide from the Rocky Mountains to the Arizona deserts. Also, Marilyn's dream of seeing most all of the National Parks and Monuments in the Western United States came true.

Marilyn was a loving, giving, and kind person. She is survived by her husband Jimmy, her daughter Alicia King of Clyde, Kansas; her sister and brother-in-law Judith and Paul Cox of Scottsdale, Arizona; Niece Shannon Mitchell of Scottsdale, Arizona; Niece Heather Walker of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Also four grandchildren; Amber Fitch of Orem, Utah; Gavan Whitson of Orem, Utah; Quinn Coles of Clyde, Kansas and Ryan Coles of Clyde, Kansas. Also two great-grandchildren; Jude Fitch of Orem, Utah and Gwyneth Fitch also of Orem, Utah. She also leaves behind four step-children, Kimberly Marideth of Edmond, Oklahoma; Steven Shears of Ridgecrest; Eddy Jones of Ridgecrest and Terri Rogers of Ridgecrest.

Her Celebration of Life will be officiated by Bill Corley of Crossroads Community Church, 235 N. China Lake Boulevard at 11:00am on November 21st, 2026 with a reception to follow immediately at the Elks Lodge in Ridgecrest, 201 E Church St. Ridgecrest, Ca 93555