David Keith Jones passed away May 29, 2024, at the age of 75 in Kansas City, KS. He is survived by his wife, Laila Jones; his brothers, Don (Beverly) of Cañon City, CO and Tom (Linda) of Wichita Falls, TX; his son, Nicholas (Lee) of Overland Park, KS; and his beloved grandchildren, Maxine and Adam Jones.
David is preceded in death by his parents, George and Virginia Jones, of Cañon City, CO, and his sisters, Betty Begin and Carol Jones.
Born in Cleveland, OH, and raised in nearby Kirtland, David was the fourth of five children. As a young man, he enjoyed the outdoors, animals and sports, using his height as a competitive advantage throughout his time as a forward for the Kirtland Hornets high school basketball team. He went on to attend Parsons College in Fairfield, IA, where he majored is history and was a member of “Where the Boys Are,” an organization of young men with a shared loved of life and motorcycles. His passion for music also led him to Woodstock in 1969, forever a highlight of his college days.
After graduation, Dave returned to Cleveland where he traded his leathers and riding boots for dark suits and dress shoes as a salesman for IBM. A hard worker with excellent personal rapport, he repeatedly found himself part of the One Hundred Percent Club and enjoyed a series of promotions that led him into management. During this time, he was introduced to Laila Kalns, the love of his life, before taking a marketing promotion in Columbus in 1978. Laila joined him there upon their marriage in 1979, and the couple started their family in 1982.
Dave was introduced to Formula One racing by friends and business clients, which led him to attend more than 20 races across the United States and Canada throughout his life. A 42-year member of the Porsche Club of America, he raced his own 1974 Porsche 911 as a hobbyist and later showed Porsches he owned at various car shows and events across the Midwest, often coming home with trophies and ribbons.
Dave’s career with IBM continued to flourish and ended after 32 years of service to the company. Rather than retiring early, he decided to pursue his passion for performance automobiles as a salesman for Byers Imports, dealing primarily in Porsche and Jaguar sales, for the last four years of his professional career.
Following the birth of his first grandchild, Dave and Laila relocated to Shawnee, KS, in 2018 to be closer to family. He found great joy in volunteering for the Great Plains SPCA and following his grandchildren around the soccer pitch. Dave built deep camaraderie with members of his Rock Steady Boxing class and great relationships with fellow motorheads and neighbors in Kansas City before his passing.
A kind heart, gentle soul and great sense of humor turned Dave’s acquaintances into friends for life. Though he left us too soon, his glowing smile will never be forgotten.
A visitation will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 8 at Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS 66215, followed by a service at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinsons Foundation or Great Plains SPCA.