David Paul Jones

David Paul Jones, 73, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026.

David was born in Dallas, Texas, to Paul and Georgialene, where he would create many childhood memories at the beloved farm of his grandparents, Honey and Jay. The family moved to Scottsdale where David excelled in all matters of life. He played football and ran track, making both varsity teams as a freshman. He was homecoming king and made the all-national high school symphony in clarinet where he travelled the world playing at venues such as Carnegie Hall.

He went on to play college football as a running back at the University of Arizona in Tucson. His parents instilled the importance of education on him so he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s degree in genetics while at the University of Arizona. To make ends meet in Tucson, he started his own construction company using carpentry skills imparted on him by Jay who was also a carpenter.

After Tucson, David moved into the sales realm, which was a natural fit given his people skills. This position took him to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he met and married Carolyn. He excitedly and proudly became a father to her two children, Nick and Shana. His job would move the family to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where his son, Michael, was born and completed the family. Fatherhood was David’s proudest role.

Wanting to raise a family that could play outside year-round, he moved the family to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they spent many happy years surrounded by friends and family. David eventually found his calling as an orthopedic sales representative, which required moving the family one last time to Tucson, Arizona. He experienced years of great professional success at Zimmer, being among the top 5 sales representatives in the entire company several years in a row. David married two other times while living in Tucson. Sadly, he became a widower to his last wife, Hiedi, at which time he moved back to Phoenix to live with his son Michael. In this time period, David demonstrated two of his best lifelong traits -- tenacity and work ethic -- in his fight against Parkinson’s disease.

David lived life to the fullest, something to which anyone who knew him would emphatically attest. He lived big and lost big, never losing his sense of humor and passion along the way. He instilled joy in those around him and made them feel seen through his genuine love of people and zest for life, often sponsoring vacations, dinners and celebrations for family and friends. There was never a shortage of laughter or full glasses if David was around. He always wanted others to feel welcomed and loved and would do just about anything for anyone. He will be terribly missed by many.

Dave is survived by his son, Michael (Erin), brother Mark (Carol), stepson Nick (East), stepdaughter Shana (James), stepmother Socorro and other family and friends. He is preceded in death by his mother Georgialene, father Paul and sister Cynthia.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 24 at 10:30AM at the Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Angels at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Paradise Valley, Arizona. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center at Barrow Neurological Institute or another Parkinson’s support organization of your choice.