Douglas Donald "Shotgun" Jones' Obituary
Born in Los Angeles, California on October 5, 1931 as Donald Carl Rice. After the death of his mother in an accident, his father was unable to care for him and his two younger brothers. The next two years of his life were spent in an orphanage and foster homes. In 1941, the Jones’ adopted the three boys, and Donald changed his name to Douglas Donald Jones. The family moved to Lee Summit, Missouri. Doug joined the U.S. Army in 1950 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. He was honorably discharged in March 1953. In the fall of 1953, he enrolled at the University of Missouri and graduated June of 1957 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Afterwards he had a number of jobs including: Allstate Insurance Salesman, Bowling Alley Owner in Booneville, Missouri, Ford Motor Company assembly lineman, Paul Davis Company selling floor coverings, Barnes-Hind Company from 1961 to 1057. The territory of this job brought him to Oklahoma. One night while eating in an Oklahoma City pizza restaurant, he decided he could do a much better job – so he quit the drug company and started developing the first tentative plans for a Western-Flavored pizza house. Looking back he always said, “It was crazy. I quit a good job; knew nothing about planning, building, or running a restaurant, had very little capital – but yet never doubted I could find the answer.” Doug renewed a friendship with Tom Windslow who was completing his work at Oklahoma State University School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration and later was working as a real-estate agent. He and Doug started looking for a location and met a Tulsa land developer. Negotiation firmed up and the first “Shotgun Sam’s Pizza Palace” was born. Doug spent many hours developing the pizza recipes and menu. So with hard work and lots of late hours the first store opened in 1967. Later another 5 stores were opened. Doug sold his shares and was retained by the establishment as a consultant. He was involved in several restaurants afterwards including: Spuddie Restaurant and Club, Michelle’s Restaurant and Club, Blue Dolphin Seafood Restaurant. In 1989 he purchased Cheers Bar which he still owns. Doug was always a competitor whether it be dirt bikes, golf, motorcycle and dune buggy racing or shooting pool. A sports writer with “Motor Sports Today” in 1972 wrote about Doug in an article. We asked wealthy sportsman Doug Jones what off-road racing meant to him. Jones owns a chain of pizza restaurants in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. “I went to an Ontario 500 last year,” he said, “and I met Mel Larson, who showed me some pictures of the Mint 400. I thought that would be a great thing to do, and I decided to build a car and race it.” Larson, a man with an ulterior motive, is race director of the Nevada event. Jones, although a complete novice whose only motor sports experience was competing in motorcycle endurance runs (timed events, not races) went all out and entered both the motorcycle and car divisions of the two-day Mint race. That’s 1000 miles of tough going. “I guess it is the thrill of doing something exciting and dangerous,” he said in explanation. “I was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, and I like fast cars. I’ve owned three Shelby 500s, and I have had my share of traffic tickets.” Jones also has a pilot’s license and owns a 70 M.P.H. jet boat, which he rides around Keystone Lake near Tulsa looking for challengers. “I am just trying it (off-road racing) out this time,” Jones said. “Next year I am going to be competitive. I am going to get ready to run these cross-country races. This will be serious with me.” Jones isn’t one of the gamblers who uses the desert like a gigantic lumpy green felt table, but the only reason he hasn’t gone that far may be that he hasn’t thought of it yet.” He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Jones. Doug is survived by the love of his life for 42 years, Sharron, his son Douglas, step-daughter Starlynn Petty, granddaughter Madison Petty, brother Jack Jones and many nieces, nephews and good friends. Services will be held on Friday, February 6, 2015 at 3:00 pm at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel.Donations may be made to the Tulsa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,2910 Mohawk Boulevard, Tulsa, OK 74110, (918) 428-7722 in Doug’s Honor.
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