Craig Jones

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Craig Jones, 59, of Mounds died Saturday, April 13, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Craig was an insulin-dependent diabetic for 40 years.

Survivors include his father, Robert E. Jones of Mounds; mother and stepfather, Charlene and Frank Linn of Cape Girardeau; a sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Dan Pirtle of Champaign, Ill.; two nieces, Kate Pirtle De Leon (John) of Chicago and Amy Pirtle Carey (James) of Itzig, Luxembourg; and a great-nephew, Ronin De Leon.

Craig was a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. He was retired from Tamms Correctional Center. His ambition in life was to fly for the Air Force, but upon becoming a diabetic he was unable to keep piloting a plane. His main hobbies were hunting and skeet shooting. He leaves many friends from both his college days and hunting friends.

His wish was to give his body to medical science in hopes that other diabetics would benefit from research.

He was a member of Mounds Methodist Church, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Chief Paduke Gun Club and the National Rifle Association.

A memorial service and distribution of his ashes will be at a later date.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of memorials to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38015-1942 or to the American Diabetes Association, St. Louis Missouri Office, 10820 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 220, St. Louis, MO 63127, in memory of Craig Jones.

Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Ill., is in charge of arrangements.