About George and Pat Jones:

George Jones moved to the Tri-Cities in 1947 and was an avid community volunteer and fundraiser.  In 2004 he married Pat Johnstone and the two of them enjoyed volunteering together. He enjoyed being on the Family Health Center board while the building was under construction. Shortly after this was completed the East Benton County Historical Museum was started, he helped raise money to get the building built. George served as a Port of Kennewick Commissioner for 12 years. He was a past member of the City of Kennewick Planning Commission and a member of the Consumer Credit Counseling. He served as a board member of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce and the TRIDEC board of Directors. He joined the Masons and has been a Shriner for more than 60 years. He put on clinics to get children into the Shrine Hospital. One of the things he enjoyed the most was transporting local children to the Shrine Hospital in Spokane. He was named Shriner of the Year for the El Katif in Spokane. He received two outstanding awards, Kennewick Man of the Year in 1978 and Tri-Citian of the Year in 1997. He worked hard to get Kennewick General Hospital built and was fortunate to help raise funds for the new Trios Hospital. He was a (KGH) Trios Foundation board member for many years. He served on the Tri-Cities Cancer Board from the beginning. If you ever came across George, he was probably selling raffle tickets for one thing or another. He didn’t just sell one ticket, he sold a book. George was a man you did not tell “no”. He was a 65+ year member of Kennewick Kiwanis. He recruited over half of the members in the club. He said, “you just have to ask”. His biggest project for the Kiwanis was to work on some of the outbuildings for the fair. In 2014 he was Grand Marshall for the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo.

Pat moved to the Tri-Cities in 1974.  Pat and George shared their love of raising money for the Shriner’s Hospital in Spokane.  Pat was the President of the Ladies Oriental Shrine in 1996 and 1997.  She’s also served on the boards of Trios Health Foundation, Second Harvest Tri-Cities, the Benton Franklin Volunteer Center, the Kennewick Housing Authority the Community Development Block Grant board for the City of Kennewick, The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Guild,  Hospice House and Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery.  Pat is particularly active in helping children.  She took part in Kids Day that the Tri-City Herald sponsored.  Pat also has been an active member of the Kennewick Kiwanis for over 12 years.  Helping with Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army and preparing backpacks for school children, as well as serving on many boards for the Kiwanis.  Pat was Kennewick Woman of the Year in 2007.