Known as Vicky to all her family and friends, Florence Svea Viktoria Jansson Jones was born near Filipstad Sweden, March 11, 1943 to Alfred and Elin Jansson. World War II was going on at that time and there was a battalion of Swedish army soldiers stationed on her father’s farm. The soldiers took up a collection and gave Vicky’s parents the money and a sterling silver spoon. She was called the “Battalions Daughter”. Vicky’s parents put the money in a bank account and it generated interest for 18 years. Vicky, who already had a sister in the United States, used that money and immigrated to America in 1961.
Soon after reaching the US and getting a job at a nursing home working in the kitchen, she met her first husband, Fred Jolly. They moved to Austin, Nevada and they had one daughter Susan. Fred had two children from a previous marriage and Vicki raised all 3 children with all the love and determination she had. Later that marriage ended in divorce.
Vicky often worked 2 or 3 jobs at the same time to help support the family. She was involved in many diverse jobs. While owning and operating multiple businesses, Vicky held many titles; waitress and cook, where she fed people from all around the world. Adding to that list of titles, she was a librarian, home health caregiver and EMT.
Vicky had 30 years of service with the Austin Volunteer Ambulance service. She had many adventures with that job, one that even included her delivering a healthy baby girl on the living room floor for a young couple who lived far from the hospital and that little girl just didn’t want to wait.
Because of Vicky’s huge heart and fairness to all she was named Citizen of the Year for her 30 years of service to the Austin, Nevada community.
In 1987 she met Tilman Jones and 1989 they married. She found great joy in his support of all her activities. In 2002 they moved to his home near Palermo, ND where they built a home for themselves. Vicky continued to work in North Dakota putting in 15 years at Mountrail Bethel Home in Stanley. She was involved with the Sons of Norway & Swedish Society, both in Minot. She was also very active with the Bethel Home auxiliary.
Vicky is survived by her husband, Tilman Jones, daughter Susan (Robert) Woolley of Austin, NV, son, Freddy Jolly of Austin, NV, daughter Cindy Jolly of Fallen, NV; 9 grandchildren; 11 great grand children; sister-in-law Anneli Johnson; numerous nieces and nephews and.
Vicky was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Elin Jansson, brother Harry, sister Francis and niece Karin.