Earlene Jones

Earlene Lucy Jones, 65, died Sept. 14, 2025, in Poplar.

She was born on July 9, 1960, to Virginia Big Talk and Earl Jones Jr. She graduated from Poplar High School in 1979.

She worked at the Poplar Hospital as a CNA. She also worked for many years at the Fort Peck Tribes Minerals Department. She later stopped working and became a homemaker and was always cooking or baking something delicious. She made awesome sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies and her peanut butter frosting was the bomb.

She met Russell “Schmo” Black Thunder. To this union, their only son Matthew Earl Black Thunder was born. They later separated, but remained very good friends throughout the years. Matt was their world.

She was very fashionable and was always dressed to the nines, matching from head to toe. With her hair down to her knees, she always a smile on her face.

She was very passionate about her gardening and growing her sunflowers and always shared her harvest with everyone. She was an advocate of food sovereignty. She was also active in community organizations.

She will be remembered for having a loving and caring heart. No matter who it was, she always stopped to listen and lend a helping hand.

She gave her heart to God and attended church and Bible study at the Pentecostal Church of God. She loved going to church and held a special place for her church family.

She was an animal lover. She would often feed the stray animals downtown.

She is survived by her mother, Vivian Jones; sisters, DeAnna Jones and Marta Jones; brother, Mevin Hale Jr. of Englewood, Colo.; adopted son, Octavio Williams of Billings; and numerous grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by brothers, Tony Lee, Guy, William Earl, Darrell Moses and Earl Jones III.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment followed at Poplar City Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.