Timber Valley SKP Park of Oregon, Inc

Submitted by Ruby Bonham

In Memoriam:  Ellis “Steve” Jones

Timber Valley residents were saddened by the news of the passing of Ellis “Steve” Jones of Lot 102 on February 10, 2026.

Steve was born August 22, 1943.  He was 82 years old.  He met his wife, Jackie on a blind date and they were together from then on.

They were married on September 18, 1981 and embarked on a life of adventure.  Steve was a firefighter before joining Foretravel Motor Coach Company as a master certified factory service representative.  He and Jackie traveled over 300,000 miles across the country doing warranty work on travel coaches.  During his off time and then later he ran an RV Repair Service in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  During 2010 to 2012 he and Jackie raced corvettes in Auto-Cross Races.

They got their lot in Timber Valley on July 3, 2014.  With his vast knowledge of RVs, he freely gave his time to help out Timber Valley residents.  Shortly after coming to the park, he joined up with park musicians to form a band informally called 4 Bees and a Jay (Bonham, Bonham, Brown, Burns and Jones).  Steve played a gut bucket, an inverted tub with a cord out of the middle attached to a stick to keep it taut.  Band members often teased him did he need to borrow a tuner to tune up.  He would laugh, pluck high and low and nod that yep it was in tune.  The band provided entertainment in the clubhouse when all the members were here for the summer.

Steve and Jackie had 4 standard poodle therapy dogs that they took to   schools for reading programs.  The dogs were also taken to Hospice to give comfort to end of life patients.

Steve and Jackie were never apart for 44 years, sharing their love and concern for those around them.  Their home base is in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  Jackie has a good support group of people and two therapy dogs to comfort her.  She will keep her lot here and hopes to come back during summers.

Steve is survived by his wife, Jackie, his sons, Matt, Randy and Chris and Jackie’s daughter Jill  He was preceded in death by his son, Don killed in a motorcycle accident.  We will miss his pure joy as he plucked his gut bucket and his genuine kindness.

Timber Valley is saddened by the passing of Madeline “Matt Grant of Lot 199 on January 29, 2026.

Matt had gone home to Mississippi for Christmas where she remained until her passing. She was surrounded by her family and husband. She was born in the Mississippi Delta in Spanish Fort on May 15, 1943. She was a woman of faith who lived that faith all the days of her life. Her home was a safe place for her children’s friends and anyone who needed it. She was beloved by the many people she encountered in her lifetime.

Matt was married in 1961 to Lee Cheney and had three children, Alan, Jason and Charla. She then married Ken Grant February 1, 1990. They were married for 36 years and had many adventures traveling the country in their RV. Matt had retired from Waterways Experiment Station after 25 years and then again from Superior Mini Storage in Nevada. Matt and Ken got their lot in Timber Valley on November 8, 2011. Matt served on the Communication Committee and with Jacks and Jills. She was very active when her health permitted. She struggled with many health issues but was very private about them. Many remember her as very caring and being there when needed without being intrusive.

Matt loved Blue Plate Mayonnaise and had it shipped to her here in Oregon. Her ashes are to be kept in a Blue Plate Mayonnaise Jar until they are spread on the lake by her daughter’s home.

Matt is survived by her husband, Ken, her two sons, Alan and Jason Cheney and daughter Charla Bufkin, brothers, sisters and grandchildren. Her passing is a great loss to those who knew and loved her. Ken will be returning to the park to be near his brother Bob Grant of Lot 118.