John Gerald “Curly” JONES
Curly passed away on the 24th December 2024 at the Capital Care Dickensfield Long Term Care Home. Curly was born in Liverpool and raised on Merseyside.
After leaving school he became an apprentice flour miller but soon realized that this wasn’t the career for him although he had many a tale to tell of his time there. Shortly after, he joined the British Military in the Royal Corps of Signals. During this military service, he spent time in Cyprus, Germany and the UK plus various assignments elsewhere. He often spoke of his special time seconded to the Omani Forces…his love of the desert, rugged terrain and spearing crayfish for his favourite curries.
After retiring from the Military as a Staff Sergeant in 1984, he worked in Qatar and Saudi Arabia teaching Radio Technology which he had been doing in the British Forces. It was during this time in Saudi Arabia that he met his wife, Jacquie. After finishing their contracts in Saudi, they moved to Cyprus for six years, finally moving to Canada in 1999.
After moving to Edmonton, Curly volunteered with the YMCA and various other organizations, where he was able to share his love of Mathematics and Reading with some of the disadvantaged youth of the city.
Curly learned to play the guitar when he was 14 and continued to entertain throughout his lifetime. Wherever he lived, he played in a band. Coming from the Liverpool area, his claim to fame was that he played on the same “bill” as the Beatles before they became famous. He also did a one-man comedy/music act in pubs and clubs. After moving to Canada, he became involved in the Pantos with the St. George Society of Edmonton. He loved entertaining and making people laugh and had a knack for interacting with his audience.
Curly often proudly stated that he had been Santa in 5 countries: England, Germany, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and Canada where he made many a child happy.
Fitness remained important to Curly throughout his life. He played rugby in his younger years and had a damaged finger to prove it. He loved jogging and hill walking, swimming and ran 2 half marathons in the Middle East.
Although he lived abroad for much of his life, he remained an avid Liverpool Football supporter. He was an avid reader, loved gardening, bird watching and travelling. Some of his favorite destinations being Nashville/Branson, Memphis/New Orleans, Costa Rica, Red Rock Country of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona, Monument Valley (John Wayne Country), East Coast of Canada and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.
He is survived by his wife Jacquie, sister Linda (Bob), two brothers Barry (Carole), Jimmy (Pat) all of England, sister-in-law Judy in Manitoba plus many nieces and nephews. He will be fondly remembered by his very dear friends Rosalie & Ronnie of The Wirral, Billy, Annie, Bob, Al, to name but a few and his many other friends from the UK and around the world.
Thanks to the staff at Dickensfield…Main A, Physio, Recreation…you all showed such love and support to Curly & Jacquie. Thank you to Dr. Raja who was always there when we needed him.
Lastly, I (Jacquie) wish to thank my many friends who have supported me through this journey. Without your help I could not have made it. Special thanks to Grant & Sharon…you guys have been my rock.
I can no longer
See you with my eyes
Touch you with my hands
But I will feel you in my heart Forever.
Frey Bentos my dear Curly!
On behalf of the Watson family please accept our condolences.
On behalf of my family and the cast and crew of Musicalmania, deepest condolences for the loss of Curly!❤️🌹 So many fond memories —through the St. George of England Society—of him and his many talents!
Our family has so many wonderful memories of Curly, he was a wonderful man and I will treasure the memories ❤️
Dear Jacquie,
Your husband Curly was a wonderful, kind, funny, caring, talented man…, who lit up the world around him.
Resting in peace he will be greatly missed.
Sending much love from all the Swans. We have many, many happy memories of singing and “conducting the orchestra “ with Curly. And lunches and dinners with both of you filled with international stories ❤️ Much love to you, Jacquie… it’s been a long road and you have supported him all the way 🙏🏼 Hugs. (Little) Wendy, Jim, Josephine, Sarah, James XO
Jacquie
Ralph & I are sending all our love to you at this difficult time!
It’s been a rough road these past few years but you have to be the strongest person on earth for staying by Curly’s side throughout his illness.
Please know that we are here for you !
So many loving memories!
Think of your Mom & Dad & Brother Ray c always!
Take care of you Jacquie!
Sandra & Ralph
Dear Jacquie, so sorry to read of “Curlys” passing, he was a wonderful guy, with a great sense of humour, he will be greatly missed, especially with the gang at ASGOES and also as an old “Brit. Squaddie”, like me, a great Vet., especially loved by me. Take care, love, Keith Hare.
Dearest Jacqui
RIP Curly.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal Love leaves a memory no one can steal
Dearest Jacquie,
I am so very sorry for your loss. Curly was such a wonderful man and you guys the best neighbours newbies could have hoped for in Ayios Tychonas. Curly taught the elves to open almonds with a hammer and how to dead head marigolds. He played the guitar for all of us and I will never forget those nights sitting outside with the red wine. The two of you made Cyprus doable.
It was so great that we could see him in England and I am too sorry we never made it to Canada with the elves to see you.
My mother also remembers Curly and sends condolences to you.
Huge hugs and love from
Cathy, Claire, Jenn and Judy
All our love from Mandy Bob Reg and Jamie-Curly was a star -many laughs and joyful times -Rita loved him too-please take good care x
I was about 8 and John was about 16 and I can remember going to Rushworth and Draper, the music shop in Birkenhead where John bought the famous book” Teach youself how to play guitar” by Bert Weedon. I think the title of the book was: Play by yourself in a day !
In the early days John was known as Tonto that was before he was known as Curly. He used to play his guitar with Hank his friend( Leslie Johnson) and a couple of other pals. They used to play skiffle in the front kitchen where we lived in the Dell in Rock Ferry. I have many happy memories of my big brother John, keep on playing. With love Barry and Carole xxx
We are deeply sorry for the loss of your beloved Curly. You complemented each other like no other couple I know. May your precious memories bring you comfort. It was a privilege to have known Curly and had many laughs with him. John & Barbara Slade
Jacqueline sending you sincere condolences from our home to yours from Linda (Bob), nephews Ian (Fiona), Graeme (Nikki) and niece Sarah (Marny) and Great Nephew Jack. Although he left these shores many years ago, he was remembered often with affection and respect and on return trips home to Blighty we all enjoyed meeting up. Thinking of you all at this sad time, sending you much love ❤️
Dear Jacquie, we join the ranks of many in expressing our understanding and grief at the loss of our friend Curly. Curly was Mr. Entertainer, he enjoyed sharing his music, jokes, and ability to see the funnier side of life. He performed when asked for the St George Society at the Heritage Festival, 2007 to 2009, providing music everyday during the festival. Aside from music, he was a genuine nice person in every way. He’s in a better place now, at peace.
Regards, John and Marda Tancred.
I served with Curly in England and Germany and visited him Cyprus. He was the most positive person, already s join to be around. I know he’ll be missed.
Derek Roberts
What more can we say that has already been said.
Curly lived close to us in England but we did not get to know him until my phone rang in Edmonton and the there he was CURLY
He was so much fun and so talented. Curly and Jacquie made a wonderful couple and joined into our circle of best friends
Like Curly our family are all Liverpool FC supporters. We will think of him when we hear the Liverpool Anthem “YOU WILL NEVER WAL:K ALONE”
Rest in peace Curly
Vince and Elsa
Hey Uncle Curly, thanks for teaching me math when I couldn’t seem to learn from anyone else, Thanks for always bringing good jokes and smiles to the family events. Forever in our hearts rest in paradise unc.
Curly, you were never going to leave this world quietly, you never did anything quietly but this world will be eerily quiet without you. You always filled an empty room with your presence, heaven is very lucky to have you. Sleep well dear friend
In Memory of Curly Jones.
I first met L/Cpl Johnny Jones when I was posted to 9th Signal Regiment in Famagusta, Cyprus in 1964.
We were both radio techs and worked together. He greeted me with his customary ‘Latin’ phrase
‘Fay Bentos’, a greeting I still use to this day and confusing many. We were both great ‘Goons’
fans so the greeting didn’t sound at all odd!
Whilst working in the ‘R.F. cage’ one day in the workshop Curly had picked up a transmission
from Vietnam, some form of ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ programme. (We were an intercept station
and had a spectacular array of antennae, but the R.F. cage should have blocked out all transmissions.
I never figured out how Curly did that!). A U.S. Sergeant was sending a message home to his wife
with a song he had written for her which he then performed, ‘Gotta Get On To Ol’ Saigon’. That
kept us in stitches for ages. And we would often combust into spontaneous fits of laughter for
no reason at all. That was the ‘Curly Effect’.
Curly was part of a rock group in 9th Sigs calling himself Curly ‘Cash’ Jones. He gave me some
tuition when I bought my first guitar from the NAAFI shop. How he remembered all those chords
back then was amazing! Curly lived in married quarters as he was married, but we used to meet
up with his then wife Val and my short-term girlfriendin various restaurants in ‘Fama G’
(Famagusta).
Having served for a short time with the army in South Arabia I can understand Curly’s love and
fascination with the desert. It is a place with its own beauty and solitude. I met up with Curly
and Val when I visited them in the UK in the 70s, and again briefly when Curly and Jacqui visited
me in Hampshire. Though physically older, Curly was mentally still as sharp as he was in the 60s
and still amazingly amusing. Curly’s humour always seemed to mask his incredible intelligence.
I never met anyone who disliked Curly Jones. He seemed to be a friend to everyone. I was amazed to
find through Curly’s obituary what an incredibly active life he led, living life with a capital ‘L’
(as Benny Hill would say)!
Curly was a loveable and truly remarkably gifted man and role model. They don’t come any finer than
him. What a great way to be remembered! We will miss you Curly and thank you for all the good
times we shared and being my friend. Knowing you was a real honour.
Geoff Grandy
Our sincere condolences Jacquie
Curly brightened our lives in so many ways, with his humour his music and his captivating smile . Always seeing the good in folks
You have wonderful memories and he was blessed to have you
Thinking of you
Jacquie and David Meffen
I am so saddened to hear of the passing of Curly. I met him in Saudi through my very good friend Ian Hill with whom I played music. Curly had that wonderful gift of being a natural entertainer and interacting with an audience and he was also an accomplished musician, able to play pretty much anything that I could hum. His jokes seemed to be endless both on and off stage and he was a joy to be with socially. He will be so sadly missed but his spirit will live on in our hearts. God bless you Curly.
Chris Wren