Jon Maples Sr.

Jon Harmon Maples Sr. was
born on December 26, 1941 to his
Parents, Harmon and Viola
Maples in Amarillo, Texas. The
family was transferred to Clovis,
New Mexico in early 1943 by the
Santa Fe Railroad. Jon was reared
in Clovis, attending Clovis
schools, and graduation from
Clovis High in 1959. He loved
sports and played basketball and
was an exceptional baseball
pitcher as a teen.
He graduated from Eastern
New Mexico University, attaining
a Bachelor of Science Degree in
History and Geography to teach
in 1964. He was a member of
Gamma Theta Upsilon
Geography Fraternity. He moved
to La Junta, Colorado and worked
at Otero Savings Loan
Association before beginning his
career in 1966 with the
Mechanical Dept. of Santa Fe
Railroad. Jon returned to Clovis
in 1968 and began working in the
Engineering Dept. of Santa Fe on
the Rail Test Program. He married
Barbara Ann Mitchell on
February 5, 1971 and later
transferred to Temple in 1977 to
continue Rail Testing.
Jon and his Dad had combined
service with Santa Fe totaling 66
years. His Dad was a Mechanical
Dept. Supervisor before his
Retirement in 1968. Jon took an
early Retirement in March of
1992, having tested Rail for the
Santa Fe in six States. He was
then employed at Scott and White
Hospital for 12 years until he
retired on December 31, 2003. He
maintained his home in Temple,
where he loved to Garden, raise
Flowers, and work in his yard
until his Death.
Jon is survived by his Wife,
Barbara, and their three Children:
Joni Ann Merrel and her husband
Dustin Merrell, Jami June Evans,
and Jon Harmon Maples Jr. and
his wife Iris Maples and also three
Granddaughters: Rebecca Renee,
Lilly Rose, and Sara Elizabeth
Evans, along with two step
grandkids, Austen Nikkole, and
Joshua Ryan. Jon was 69 years
old when he passed away on
February 10, 2011. He considered
Death to be his Spiritual Rebirth
and Awakening, resulting in his
Right of Passage to obtaining
Eternal Life with our Heavenly
Father.
While living in New Mexico,
Jon loved to hunt and fish every
year with his Dad. He was an avid
collector, especially of Santa Fe
Memorabilia, including Lanterns
and China. Jon had one of the
most complete sets of Santa Fe
Date Nails that he had spent years
putting together. He enjoyed his
Genealogy hobby and tracing his
Family Tree back ten Generations
to 1720s. Also, through the years,
he owned several Classic
Chevrolets, Fords, and Pontiac
Cars that he restored and drove.
Jon was a devoted Husband and
Father and adhered to his
Southern Baptist upbringing. He
always placed God first in his life,
and owed his Faith in the Lord to
his Mother and Dad. He lived a
life of Honesty, Integrity, Personal
Responsibility and Accountability,
Leadership, and Love and Duty to
his Family. His word was his
Bond to do what was right and
expected by God. Because Jon
lived out these Qualities of
Character every day of his life, he
passed on a special Heritage to his
Children and Grandchildren. His
Body will be cremated, and a
Private Memorial Service will be
held.