Wanda G. Lehl-Jones

My mother was diagnosed with an acquired type of Leukemia on December 4, 2012.  It came as a surprise because when she went into the emergency room it was for symptoms for a lingering cold.  Blood work revealed an elevated white blood count. 

As near as we could figure, she was exposed to whatever caused the bone marrow to go haywire somewhere in the 1960s to early 70s.  She had worked at jobs during that time where she came into contact with chemicals that weren't as regulated as they are today. 


November 16, 1929 to December 25, 2012

Wanda Gertrude Lehl-Jones passed away peacefully December 25, 2012 after a short battle with Leukemia.

She was the youngest child of Darwin and Rozella (Young) Bolton, born November 16, 1929 on the family farm in Lyons, Kansas. She attended an one room elementary school and the high school in the Lyons area. 

In September 1947 she married Gilbert C. McLaughlin and lived in Ellinwood and Pratt, Kansas before moving to Farmington, NM and then Grand Junction.  Her marriage to Gilbert ended in divorce.   They had two daughters, Terry House, Sherry McLaughlin and a son, Garry McLaughlin.  She also has two grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and one great great grandson. All of whom survive her.

In October 1971, she married Leonard C. Lehl. They were married for 15 years until his death.  She later married Kenneth Jones and lived in Arizona until his death, returning to Grand Junction in 2008.

She is also survived by two sisters, Jeanette Miller of Chase, KS and Pearl Botlick of Shawnee, OK, as well as nieces and nephews.

Her mother and father, a sister, Ruth, a brother Joe, and grandson, Trevor preceded her in death.

She worked in a variety of jobs until she became the alterations lady at Squires Men Shop and Dahle’s Big and Tall.  She later opened her own tailoring and alterations business.  She loved to fish and travel, gardening, reading westerns, and quilting.  She also loved her dogs, Dee Dee, Honey and Shadow.


(I will be adding more as I find the photos I want to include.)