CJ Bigler Jones

Funeral services for CJ Bigler Jones will be Saturday August 29, 2009 at 4:00 pm at Burlington LDS Church,. Graveside dedication to follow funeral services at Otto Cemetery. CJ accomplished amazing things in his short life and was rocketed home to be with his heavenly father on August 19, 2009. He passed away as a result of acute septic shock in Lahabra, California, where he lived with his beautiful wife Amber Lynn (Canfield) Jones. CJ was born on April 26, 1977, in Greybull, WY, to Fred Ray Jones and Edith Mae Bigler Jones. CJ graduated from Burlington High School in 1996. He then attended Northwest College in Powell, WY until 1999 when he graduated with an Associate of Science-Chemistry degree. He attended the University of Utah for one year. From 2000 to 2002 CJ attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie where he studied organic and general chemistry earning his Bachelors of Science degree. CJ then fulfilled his dream of graduating with a PhD in chemistry from the University of Southern California in 2008. He honored his wife and parents by dedicating his degree to them.

CJ's love for learning and teaching brought him many awards: outstanding teaching award for Analytical Chemistry (USC), outstanding performance as a teaching assistant, superior performance as an undergraduate chemistry major, and the Glen B. Thein Award in Chemistry all awarded while attending the University of Wyoming. CJ was also president of Northwest College Affiliate of the American Chemical Society and coordinated the Powell community science circus.

CJ left his mark on the biofuel industry with 5 papers published in science journals and in Angewandte. He played a major role in designing the fastest AU catalyzed methane to methanol conversion and graduate residence (USC), rocket fuel propellants with research directed by CJ's mentor, advisor and friend Dr. Karl O. Christie.

CJ's hobbies were high powered rocketry, fencing, hunting, fishing and most of all spending time with his wife Amber who he married on May 28, 2005, in Orange County, California.

CJ and Amber were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He was preceded in death by his father Fred Ray Jones, grandparents Isaac and Ida Jones, Orville and Elvira (Ella) Bigler, several uncles and aunts, nephew Michael Chatwin and friend Bill Loveland.

CJ is survived by his wife Amber, mother and step-father Bill and Edith Jones Johnson, father and mother-in-law Robert and Lynn Canfield, sisters Jean (Roy) Marcus, Alice Chatwin, Janice (Jonathan) Henry, Marcia Beabout, Anette Jones (Rene) Quammen, Anita (Howard) Olsen, Debbie (Michael) Anderson. Brothers Brett (Christine) Jones, David Lavine, Frank Lavine. Nephews, Myron (Mellissa) Chatwin, James Henry, Joshua, Jordan, Mathew Jones, Thia Le, Thanh Le, Trung Le (Stephanie), Keith Olsen, Larry (Nikki) Unruh, Andreas (Becca) Unruh, Nicholas Unruh, Ken (Rita) Unruh, Tristan Quammen, Rodney Marcus, Brian (Kate) Marcus, Patrick (Catherine) Marcus, Daniel, Ryan Lavine, Alex, Ben Lavine, Jay Beabout, Christopher Lefebvre. Nieces Angela Cordova, Jenny, Julie, Jannetta Henry, Aisha Le, Vanessa Whiting, Britney (Mark) Tayler, Tamara Olsen, Krystal (Micheal) Cole, Sasha, Jessica Unruh, Ruth Ann (Tim) Capell, Rita (Ed) Stulc, Lyndee Greub, Catherine Elizabeth, Alexandria Grace Anderson, Lisa Marcus, Kailey Lavine, Rachel Beabout, Angel Jones, four great nieces, one great nephew, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

CJ will be sorely missed by many; he touched many lives, and all who knew him will have treasured memories forever. CJ was loved and admired by all who knew him. Memorials can be given to his wife Amber to defray travel costs or to the Perpetual Education Fund of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The memorial can be sent to Thompson's funeral home 111 west 3rd St. Powell, Wy. 82435.